^«-^MC 








EXPERIMENTAL WORK 



^ovucultural Depar^^^ 



^/^ 



Colorado Agricultural College, 



FORT COLLINS, COLORADO. 



FORT COLLINS, COLO. : 

The Courier Book and Job Print. 

1886. 






..-5 






CONTENTS. 



Experiments with Potatoes, ....... i 

Irrigation in Horticulture, ----.... lo 

Report on Grasses, ......... 15 

Report on Weeds, .......... is 

Report on Forestry, ........ 20 

Report on Fruits, .-......-. 25 

Report on Garden Vegetables, ..-...- 29 

Smut on Grass, .......... 37 

Report on Seed Tests, ........ 33 



INTRODUCTORY. 



I herewith submit my third annual report of experiments in Botany and Horticulture, 
the nature and purpose of which are amply set forth in the report for 1884, which shows 
the importance and value of careful experiments in this State, and the necessity that ex- 
ists for their continuance over a series of years. 

While the season has, on the whole, not been without its disappointments and acci 
dents, still the comparative absence of insect foes, and the ability we possess in the pos 
session of water to keep our plants doing their best at all times, forces upon us the great 
advantages of Colorado as an agricultural State, and as a field for experimental work that 
will, it is hoped, prove of some value to the people of our State. 

Certainly our checkered experience in the culture of fruit and forest trees would 

suggest to us forcibly enough the necessity of selecting only such kinds as arc hardy, do 

not start too early in spring, and that make a definite annual growth. 

James Cassidy, 

Professor of Horticulture. 
Colorado Agricultural College, 1886. . 



Horticultural Department. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH POTATOES. 



The potatoes in this comparative 
test of varieties were cut to oue eye 
each, discarding the seed end. 

The soil was put in excellent tilth 
and fertility, by frequent working and 
manuring. The lows were laid off 
three feet apart, and the earth remov- 
ed to a depth of six inches ; in the bot- 
tom of the trendies was piaced a com- 
post of well decayed stable manure 
and coal ashes to a depth of three 
inches, on which the sets were placed 
one foot apart ; the trenches were then 
filled to one inch above the surface 
and raked smooth. 

The potato crop has become one of 
great importance to American farm- 
ers ; the product, in favorable seasons, 
is well on to 200,0U0.O0a bushels : the 
demand, too, is steady and growing, 
especially wherever the soil is particu- 
larly adapted to its production. Of 
the varieties now cultivated many 
are so highly meritorious that 
it would seem to be well nigh impossi- 
ble to improve on them. We are far 
from thinking, however, that !-uffi- 
cieut care is exercised in fixing the 
good qualities so necessary in every 
candidate for public approval. Many 
ot the so-called crosses are really the 



result of chance, the grower has had 
but little to do with the origination of 
the variety ; such important features 
of a perfect potato, as a medium top, 
prolificacy of yield, closeness in the 
hill and good flavor, are the result of 
chance. The objection we have to 
some of the newer varieties of the po- 
tato is that this tuber bearing habit is 
not sufficiently fixed. In adverse 
seasons, or under other unfavorable 
conditions, as those of soil or of climate, 
as on being grown in Europe or in 
widely distant parts of our own coun- 
try, they fail to retain their good qual- 
ities for any length of time. 

The claim of best for each new kind 
is generally not without reason, for 
some varieties do better under certain 
conditions than others, and others 
again seem to have their peculiarities 
so well fixed as not to he seriously af- 
fected by the most adverse conditions. 
There are probably some soils, too, in 
which the potato deteriorates, or like 
some fruits, they are adapted only to 
the surroundings in which they origi- 
nated ; this would seem to be the case 
with the Neshannock, once a great 
favorite <>n the plains, but now seem- 
ing to have lost the tuber bearing 



EXPERIMENTS WITH POTATOES. 



faculty, except when grown in the 
mountains at high elevations. 

All of the varieties flowered, but 
only the coarse topped, late tuber de 
veloping kinds, bore seed, for the rea- 
son, I imagine, that some varieties 
seem to be bred to make tubers early 
in their growth, and only a moderate 
top and no seed, as in tlie Early Rose, 
although, doubtless, the latter could 
be induced to furnish an abundance 
of seed by removing the tubers as they 
formed— as the late Mr. Knight did. 
While others, as the Ruby, and Comp- 
ton Surprise, every year bear an abun- 
dance of seed balls, and a very coarse 
top, but have not the tuber bearing 
faculty very strongly developed, nor 
are their tubers borne sufficiently 
close in the hill to realize one's ideal 
of the perfect potato. We regard 
these berry-bearing kinds, for tlie cir- 
cumstances under which Ihey are 
grown here, as seriously impairing 
their value, as we believe them to be 
born at tlie expense of tubers. Tuber 
bearing is not the chief function of 
many of the Solanums and hence per- 
haps the tendency to running to top 
seen in many varieties of the potato. 
We know from experience with some 
plants under domestication, that they, 
to a great extent, lose tbeir ability to 
produce seed if continuously propaga- 
ted for any length of time l)y any of 
the methods of division, as in the Ban- 
ana, the Baldwin apple and the well 
established varieties of the garden ver- 
bena, which rarely produce much 
seed, for the reason that they are only 
continued by propagation from cut- 
tings, and this continued propagation 
by division may be the reason why 
many varieties of the potato are so shy 
in seed bearing. 

The past season cannot be called a 
sufficient test of the many varieties 



planted, owing to a blight appearing 
on the foliage arresting all further de- 
velopment of tuber for tiae season. 
Doubtless varieties that have failed 
this season, would, in a more favora- 
ble year, prove meritorious. Although 
so many kinds were a failure, and 
none were up to the high expectations 
we at one time bad reason to expect, 
yet, on the whole, the test is a profit- 
able one, inasmuch as it enables one 
to determine on what varieties to pin 
our faith. That the loss of stem and 
foliage would seriously impair the ta- 
ble value of the coarse-growing kinds, 
we expected from experience. 

The chemical composition of the po- 
tato varies with th e soil in which it is 
grown, the season, and nature of the 
fertilizers used. The best potatoes 
contain about 20 per cent, of starch ; 
it is formed in the leaves, and hence 
to have good potatoes the leaves must 
be uninjured throughout the season of 
development. If they are destroyed 
by insects or disease the tubers must 
suffer in quality, as they have this 
season. A green or half grown potato 
does not contain as much starch as a 
ripe one, for the tuber is not at its best 
until the leaves and stems have depos- 
ited all of tlieir starch in them for the 
perpetuation of the species. 

The blight of the foliage we attrib- 
ute to the exceptional warmth of the 
season heating the soil to an unnatural 
extent for this plant. For although 
'.he potato delights in a moderately 
cool climate, it can be grown in such 
as are much warmer than that in 
which it does best, and also in a much 
colder one. The roots strike down 
deep, where it is cool and moist, but 
the tubers are impatient of a soil too 
wet. In the mountains, at high ele- 
vation, blight is unknown, and in 
soils on the plains peculiarly adapted 



EXPERIMENTS WITH POTATOES. 



to the potato, almost perfect immunity 
from the disease is not uufrequentiy 
noticed. I am further led to look 
upon this as an inducing cause of 
blight by reason of the fact that the 
potato may be grown under mulch, 
even in the most unfavorable seasons, 
providing always that varieties are 
used that tuber quickly and that do 
not expend their vitality in growing 
top. The size of the top in such varie- 
ties bears an evident and definite re- 
lation to the development of tuber, 
and especially is tbis so if the seed has 
been cut to one eye or to two separate 
eyes. 

Of the potato it may be truly said 
that it will grow in almost any kind 
of soil, but the soil best adapted to it, 
however, is loose and frial)ie ; its na- 
ture would suggest this, because the 
tuber must push the soil from around 
it in the process of growth, and if the 
soil be hard and lumpy the tuber will 
be misshanen and its vital forces seri- 
ously impaired. The tendency of all 
irrigation is to bind more solidly all 
adhesive, flne-grained soils, so that 
the first requisite of success as regards 
the soil is to see to its mechanical con- 
dition, and in the application of water 
that no flooding of the soil occurs, and 
that the water is shut off when in the 
judgment of the operator a sufficien- 
cy has been applied, for it is as true 
under irrigation as without it that soils 
which hold water too long and which 
will bake, either after rain or irriga- 
tion, are entirely unfitted for the cul- 
ture of the potato. We irrigated four 
times, because our land is rolling and 
the soil stiff and adhesive, so that irri- 
gating such land would seem iimch 
like pouring water on the back of a 
duck. Land more level and porous, 
and hence more susceptible to irriga- 
tion, has oft< n a sufficiency in one or 



two waterings, and in certain cases 
even without any. 

Flat culture, sosucce&sfully practiced 
at the east, would be luite inconsis- 
tent with the practice of any system 
of irrigation, as the potato on any soil, 
but especially on a stiff one, is impa- 
tient of surface watering. To grow 
the potato at all the soil must be ridged 
or furrowed to enable the water to 
pass along between the rows and seep 
from side to side but never to reach or 
flood the whole surface of the soil 
This objection will not apply with the 
same force to soil heavily mulched, for 
the reason that such land does not 
bake. As to the distance apart, this 
depends altogether on the character 
of the soil and the variety planted. 
Some kinds, especially on rich soils, 
and with too much water, will make 
excessively large tops, and must have 
more room than varieties bred to 
m I ke tuber instead of top. 

The earliest varieties were Early 
Kent, Early Sunrise, Alpha, Clark's 
No, 1, Early Harvest, Lee's Favorite 
and Early Ohio ; all of these done well 
and iiad it not l)een for the blight, 
they would have neen exceptionally 
fine. 

Other and later kinds that were ad- 
mirable were Cap Sheaf, Queen of the 
Valley, Winslow, Bliss' Triumph, 
Steuben Beauty, Wells' Seedling, 
Diamond, Boston Cracker, Corliss, 
Matchless, Rubicund, Electric Craw- 
ford's Seedling, Howard, Cayuga, 
Rosy morn, Boston Market, El Paso, 
Belle, Manhattan. Baker's Imperial, 
Goodrich, Beauty, Hebron and White 
Elephant. Many others done moder- 
ately well, and still others again were 
an utter failure, notably so, Rural 
Blush, Dakota Red, Telephone, Bur- 
bank, McCormick and many others, 
as will be seen by the following table ; 



EXPERIMENTS WITH POTATOES. 



TABLE OP EXPERIMENTS. 



Variety. 



Qualitv of Seed. 



Alamo 

Prairie Farmer 

Cap Sheaf 

Clark's No. 1 

Farina 

Wiuslow 

Home Comfort 

American Magnum Bonum.. 

Queen Valley 

Early Telephone 

St. Patrick Wisconsin 

Rochester Favorite 

Jones' Prize Taker 

Knapp's Snow Bank 

Dakota Pved 

Rubicund 

Electric 

Jordan's Early Russet 

Belle (Wis.),." 

Cook's Superb (Wis.) 

Manhattan 

Rose's Seedling (Wis.) 

El Paso (Ohio) 

Defiance 

Ciiicago ]\Iarket 

McCormick 

Western Rose 

Carpenter Seedling 

Rural Rlush 

Carpenter's Seedling (Oliio) 

Crawford Seedling 

Alpha 

Carpenter Seedling (Wis.)... 

Silver Skin 

Early Telephone (Wis.) 

Salt Lake 

Black Stock 

Neshannock 

Salt Lake Queen 

Conqueror 



Fair, smooth.... 
Large, sound.... 

Fine, sound 

Large, sound.... 
Medium sound. 
Large, smooth.. 



Large, smooth 4..1 

Large, decaying 4 

Large, fine 25..1 

Medium 6 

Medium, sound 14..1 

Fine, sound 8. .2 

Large, scabby 20.. 1 

Large, fine 16 

Large, fine 10 

Large, fine 24..4 

Medium, sound 25 

Large, sound lfi..l 

Medium, sound 23. .2 

Poor, sound 8 

Large, decayed 24..7 

Large, sound 17. .4 

Large, decayed 

Fine, decayed 12. .3 

Fine, decayed 17. .1 

Fine, decayed 5. .2 

Medium, decayed S..3 

Fair, sound 30 

Large, decayed 9. .9 

Medium, sound 4. .4 

Medium, sound 20 

Medium, sound 23. .6 

Medium, sound 18. .2 

Small, decayed 8. .2 

Smooth, fine 13.. 2 

Fine, sound 1()..3 

Extra, sound 16. .1 

Small, shrunk 6 

Fair, sound 12 

Fair, sound 10 



1..3 

3..4 

5..3 

4..2 

1..2 

4 
12 
15 

4..9 

1..3 

2..4 

1..10 

3..12 

3 

2..2 

4..5 

4..9 

2..4 

2..7 

1..9 

2..11 

2..4 

3 

1..2 

2 

1..4 

1..2 

4..1 

2..1 

1..2 

3. .8 

3..12 

2..10 

1..4 

1..6 

2..1 

2..4 
12 

1..2 

1 



2..4 
12 
30 
13..3 

1..3 
19 

1 



22 

1 
12 

3 

16..1 
11 

5 
20 
20 
10 
19 

4 
20 
10 
20 

7 
11 

1..2 

2..3 
25 

2..9 

1 

17 

22..6 
10..2 

4 

8 
10 

7 

6 

7 

5 



2 

4 

5 

4..6 

3..1 

4 

3..1 

5 

2..1 

5..2 

4 

5 

5 

4..4 

5 

6..1 

4..2 

4 

4..7 

7 

2 

5 

6 

4 

6 

5 

7 

3..4 

3 

•1..6 

8 

4..1 

5..2 

6 

9..1 

6 

5 

5..2 



99..50 

195..52 

.387..12 

209..29 

4..52 

278..18 

49..09 

48..24 

303 15 

72..36 

163..30 

98..48 

242..4.T 

193..3(i 

12 1. .06 

293..25 

302..0.V 

194..21 

280..10 

96..48 

295..42 

2U8..43 

266..12 

147..28 

206..27 

62..22 

99..04 

36..18 

115..42 

51..25 

242 

2S2..50 
219..40 
98..40 
159.. 10 
195..52 
194..21 
72..S6 
145..12 
122..52 



EXPERIMENTS WITH P0TAT6ES. 



TABLE OF EXPERIMENTS— Continued. 



Variety. 



H". ro — ^ 



Quality of Seed. 



$. 


K 


Si 


a 




fC 


K 


Jq 


crq 














r-t- 




(^+ 




^■ 


o 




'-' 


►^ 


l-O 


^• 


Ch 


o 


o 


a> 














^ 


K 


?5 








~ 






3= 

CO 




O 


p 




P 














Oi 




ro 


o 




^. 


N 


: 


cc 



^ 


tfl 


O 








UQ 


B 



Parson's Prolific 

Grange (Ohio) 

Silver Skin (Ohio) 

State Maine 

Baiter's Imperial 

Telephone (Ohio) 

Lee's Favorite 

Extra Early Snowball..., 
Jordan's Prolific (Ohio) 

Belle (Wis.) 

Morton White 

Orange County White.. 

Snow Flake 

Mullen 

Dundeary , 

Goodrieii 

Ruby 

Beauty of Hebron 

Seedling 

Salt Lake Queen 

Daw Salt Lake Seedlin 

Wiii'te Elephant '. 

Howard 

Bli.ss Triuni])h 

Wiiite Star 

Cayuga 

American Giant 

Silver Skin 

Duchess 

Bonanza 

.James Vick 

Bermuda 

Belle (Wis.) 

Watson's Seedling 

Luxury 

Pride of America 

La Plume 

Mammoth Pearl 

Butter Ball 

Early Sunrise 

Cap Sheaf (Ford) 

Detiaiice (Wis.) 

Burbank 



Fair, sound 

Large, decayed 

Poor, decayed 

Medium, smooth, sound 
.Medium,smootl),sound 

i\[edium, unsound 

Medium, sounri 

Medium, sound 

Meil.'um, .sound 

^lediuin, decayed 

Large, decayed 

Medium, sound 

Medium, sound 

Medium, sound 

Large, S()nn<l 

Large, sound 

Large, sound 

Larii;e, sound 

Large, sound 

Large, souml 

Large, sound 

Large, soumi 

Large, fair 

Large, fair 

Large, fair 

Large, fine 

Large, fine 

Large, fine 

J/cirge, fisie 

Large, tine 

Medium, sound 

Fair, sound 

Jlediuin, decayed 

Medium, sound 

Small, snnnil 

Fair, sound 

Medium, sound 

Fair, sound 

Medium, yellow flesh. 

iieilium, sound 

Dai-ayed badly 

Large, fine 

I/A rge, d eca y ed 



12 
12 

6 

10. 
1!) 

C 
18 

4..2 
15 
16 

8 

8..3 
18 

7 

10..4 
30 
12 
22 
23 

13..4 
16..3 
24 
24 
28..3 



.5122 



19 

26 
17 
23 
29 
20| 
20 
17 
24 

s 

24 

27 
24 

117 

!16 

3120 

1^23 



1..10 
1..4 

11 
1..10 
4..2 

12 
4..5 

12 
3 

3..4 
1..6 
1..4 

3..y 

2 

2..1 

5..4 

2..7 

3..9 

3..9 

2..3 

2..9 

4 

3 

4..2 



2..12 
2 

1..4 
1..9 
1..4 
3 
2 

f^..l 
1..9 
11 
1 

2..2 
2..7 



4..6 
5..1 
6..1 



4 

4..1 

3 



5..4 
3 



8 

10..3 
20 

2 

G 



3..1 
3..9 
2..3 
1..3 



12 



13 
2..4 
4..1 
3 

2. .2 
4..1 
3..3 
3..2 



18 
21 
3..3I i) 

3..1' 1 



148..59 
145..57 

74..52 
123..16 
235..57 

72..36 
220..49 

50..16 
181. .30 
193...36 

96..48 

99..04 
217..48 

84..42 
124..01 
363 
145..12 
266..12 
27S..18 
160..19 
195..52 
290..24 
290..24 
391. .04 



207..37 
147..28 

97..04 
148..13 

84..42 
19S..54 

75..37 
193..36 
123..16 

38..10 

72 36 

99..24 
134..58 

24..12 
242 

27S..18 
147..28 

49..07 



EXPERIMENTS WITH POTATOES. 



TABLE OP EXPERIMENTS— Continued. 



Variety. 



Quality of Seed. 



Early Mayflower 

Irish Cups 

Wall's Orange 

Early Harvest 

White Elephant 

Pride of America 

St. Patrick 

Orange County White.. 

Red Elephant 

Weld's Jumbo 

Well's Seedling 

Diamond 

Chicago Beauty 

Boston Cracker 

Landreths Garfield 

Adirondac 

Corliss Matchless 

Early Household 

Vick's Prize 

Jordan's Russet 

Collins Superb 

Kennedy 

New Champion 

Bliss Triumpli 

Stuben's Beauty 

Weld's No. 14" 

Great American 

Pride of the West 

Rosy Morn 

White Wlupi)le 

Ontario 

Perfect Gem 

Champion of America. 

Early Kent 

Boston Market 

Seedling 

Compton Surprise 

Breeze's No. 6 

Early Rose 

Early Ohio 

Western Star (Ohio).... 
Western Star (Wis.).... 



Medium, unsound 

Medium, sound 

Fair, sound 

Fair, sound 

Fair, sound 

Fair, sound 

Fair, sound 

Large, fine 

Medium, sound 

Large, sound 

Large, sound 

Medium, sound 

Medium, sound 

Large, fine 

Large, fine 

Larjie, fine 

Large, fine 

Medium, sound 

Medium, sound 

Medium, sound 

Large, sound 

Medium, sound 

Large, sound 

Large, sound 

Medium, sound 

Large, sound 

Large, sound 

Very fine, sound 

Very fine, sound 

Me(liuin, sound 

Large, fine 

Extra fine 

Medium, rougl), sound 
jMediuni, rougli, sound 

Medium, unsound 

Medium, sound 

Large, sound 

Extra sound 

E.xtra sound 

E.xtra sound 

Small, sound 

Medium, sound 



6..1 

4..2 

9 
17 

12..1 
10..4 
10..5 

4..2 
12 

4..4 
20 

24..1 
IG 
23 
10..1 

6..3 
20 
12..2 
15..4 
16 

9 
1(5 

8 
21 
17 

16..2 
10 

8..2 
24..7 
12..4 

6..1 
12..4 

8..2 
16..4 
18..2 
l(i 
17 

8..4 
22 
32..4 

8..3 

4 



.8 
13 



2. 
Id! 
3. 
4., 
3 
3., 
2., 
1., 
2.. 
2., 
3.. 
3.. 
1.. 
2.. 
1.. 
4 
3.. 
3.. 
2.. 
1.. 
4.. 
1.. 

1 

1..2 

2..9 

3 

4 

3..9 

1..2 

4 

4.-3 

1..4 

1..4 



3 

3.. 

4 

3 

7 

7 

8 

1 

8 

1 
17 
20 
13 
20 

6 

1.. 
18 

6.. 

8.. 
12 

3 
12 

3 
19 
14 
12 

4 

5 
19 

cS 

4 

9 

5 
14 
15 
13 
14 

5 
18 
30 

6 

2 



4.. 
1 
5 
14 



EXPERIMENTS WITH POTATOES. 



METHODS OF CULTURE. 

Table No. 2 exhibits the work iu 
this direction iu dLtail. 

The potatoes in this experiment 
were planted on ground not particu- 
larly rich ; it had never previously, 
however, been in crop. The sets were 
placed one foot apart in the rows, and 
the latter three feet apart. The area 
mulched covered a space 100x128 feet. 
After planting, the soil between the 
rows was furrowed slightly, to permit 
the passage of water. 

The total yield under mulch was 
greater for the large seed pieces than 
for the small ones — as was the case the 
previous seascm ; single eyes and two 
separate eyes yielding less in propor- 
tion to other methods of cutting than 
they did lust year. This was due, in 
some measure, to the unfavorable 
character of the season, although the 
tops, in no instance, under mulch, 
were utterly destroyed, as was the 
case with many kinds in ordinary cul- 
ture this year. The yield under mulch 
is ordinarily much greater than that 
of the naked ground, for the reason 
that the mulch furnishes the proper 
conditions (or nearly so) of tempera- 
ture and moisture at the root, as well 
as coming near assuring the necessary 
mechanical condition of the soil so in- 
dispensable to the uniform and grt^at- 
est possible development of tuber. 
This latter condition, however, cannot 
lie realized unless the muh^U is of suffi- 
cient thickness to maintain uniformi- 
ty of temperature and moisture at the 
root; hence j)lanting on the surface 
of the ground if the mulch is not a foot 
in thickness (if straw is used) is well- 
nigh useless. What vvoulti be a suffi- 
cient mulch in a moist climate would 
avail nothing under the cloudless sky 
and hot drying winds of the plains. 

Mulch culture can never be practi- 



cable on a large scale in Colorado. It 
may be practiced iu small gardens in 
localities, soils and seasons unfavora- 
ble to the potito under ordinary cul- 
ture. The greatest care should be ex- 
ercised in choosing a mulch, if of oat 
straw the crop will often be astonish- 
ingly large, and involve much labor 
to get rid of. 

The kinds used in this experiment 
were Breeze's No. 6 and Peerless ; var- 
ieties that have hitherto done well, 
but this season were well-nigh a fail- 
ure jn the unmulched ground. 

Table No. 3 gives results in detail of 
an experiment with the potato cut in 
various ways and planted at various 
depths. 

The sets were cut as nearly alike in 
size as possible without weighing 
them ; the land was in excellent con- 
dition, but still by no means potato 
land; the planting was in rows three 
feet apart and the sets one foot apart 
iu the rows, as accurate as tape and 
line could make them. Single eyes of 
good substance, and two separate eyes 
yielded in proportion about as they 
did last year, the largest and most un- 
iform tubers though less in quality 
characterizing this method of cutting, 
while large seed and large seed pieces 
yielded the greatest weight and num- 
ber of tubers to the acre. Three to six 
inches would seem, from the experi- 
ence of two seasons, to be as deep as it 
is prohtable to plant. Cutting to sin- 
gle eyes will always give the strongest 
stem, because but one, or at most but 
two stems, will grow, and the largest 
develojmient of tuber is the e^xpected 
and invariable result, with the mini- 
mum of small ones. 

Small cut seed is, however, the ex- 
ception, not the rule, at least in Colo- 
rado, owing to the danger of not ob- 
taining a perfect stand, and there is 



EXPERIMENTS WITH POTATOES. 



TABIiE NO. 2. 







O 1- 


< 


^ 


^ 


^ 


H 






►S 2 


5 


m 


ct> 


a> 










- 


Cfi; 

=5- 


01? 

3- 


aQ_ 








5 t 


1 




o 


O 


2, 


a. 










t» 


, , 




"^ 








r 


B 


P 


< 








'^- ? 


= 


£- 




(t 


SI 




How Treated. 


S 


r 


? 


o 


p 


re 
P 


^ arii'tv. 








o 


o 


^^ 


o 
























^ 




j» 


5 










<i 


=f 


3 


a 


n 










^ 


p 


o 


















CO 










p, 


P^ 




cr 










o 


o 


X 


en 












N 
















^ 




s 


p 


































Oj 


a- 














1 




o 





Breeze's No. G. 

Peerless 

Breeze's No. G. 

Peerless 

Breeze's No. fi. 

Peerless 

Breeze's No. (>. 

Peerless 

Breeze's Nn. (>. 

Peerless 

Breaze's No. (i 

Peerless 

Breeze's No. (i 

Peerless 

Breeze's No. 6 
Peerless" 



One eye 

One eye 

Two separate eyes.. 
Two separate eyes.. 
One eye on surface 
One eye on surface 

Seed end 

Seed end 

Stem end 

Stem end 

Large wliole potato 
Laruje wliole potato 

Half potato 

Half potato 

Small potato 

Small potato 



2 


28 


S..2 


2 


24 


9..1 


2 


23 


f)..2 


2 


22 


6..1 





13..4 


3..4 





10..2 


2 2 


8 


26..1 


4..1 


3 


2«..2 


5 


3 


22..7 


2 


3 


21. .3 


3 


3 


30 


12 


3 


31. .4 


9 


3 


27..1 


7..1 


3 


20..2 


6 


3 


32..5 


10 


3 


30..1 


12 



.1 3..10' 
3..02 
3 

.2 3..04 

.1 2..01J 
.22 

I3..O3' 
.2 3 

.7|2..12 
.32..07 

3..06 
.4 3..12 
.1 I3..O3 
.23..04 
.53..08 
.l!3..09 



266..12 

242..20 

27.S..18 

266..12 

l(i0..19 

122..52 

3ir)..21 

340..4() 

271. .30 

256..22 

363 

378..07 

32(i..27 

243..52 

390..r)9 

363..45 



EXPERIMENTS WITH POTATOES. 



much in this, if one's land is not in 
the best mechanical condition as there 
is danger of dry winds affecting the 
seed unfavorably. Small cut seed has 
the trreat advantage, however, of re- 
quiring a much less quantity of tubers 
to plant an acre, and if it can be 
shown that the use of small cut seed is 
as effective in producing a full crop as 
the use of larger pieces a great gain in 
the aggregate must necessarily ensue. 

Amid the conflict of experiments 
and opinions it is a good plan to select 
only sound seed and if it is cut to 
single eyes to leave sufficient bulk to 
insure sustenance to the growing 
plant, and this will be impossible if 
none but the smallest tubers are used 
for seed. 

TABLE 3— POTATOES PLANTED AT DIF- 
FERENT DEPTHS. 





O 


k! 


5i 


^ 


^ 


t?d 




•o 


a> 


<D 




a> 


c» 




T) 


0< 
o 




P* 


P* 


B 
so 








o 


o 


o 


a> 







o 




•-*^ 


•-^ 






s 




B 


S' 




















, , 


CO 


a> 


t:^ 


p 


P< 




P 

5' 


P 

3 


"P 

o 


o 


9 


■a 
n> 
-1 
so 


Mode of Preparing 


P" 


so 
P 


o 


3 


■p 




Tubers. 


ra 


CO 


S 




m 






o 


p" 


p' 


S 


P 






N 


f 


3 


p' 


c 
p* 








s 


p 


3 


<B 








Pi 


Uj 




CO 








o 

N 


O 

N 


a 
o 


& 
f 


Small potatoeB 


s 


28.3 


17.3 


11.3 


4 


341.04 


Large potatoes 


5 


24.2 


12 


12.2 


3.7 


292.16 


Seed end 


5 


21 


IB 


5 


2 9 


254.06 


Stem end 


il|18.5 


14 


4.5 


2.5 


221.35 


Two separate eyes... 


t'i2.4 


9.4 


3 


2 


148.13 


One eye 


3 


21.4 


17.4 


4 


2,7 


257 07 


One eye 


5 


23.9 


21.9 


2 


3 


285.06 


One eye 


7 


13.3 


11 


2.3 


2.2 


159.34 


One eve 


<» 













Large seed pieces, and particularly 
the seed end of the potato, start much 
more quickly and strongly than does 



the single eye. The seed end starting 
into growth hrst illustrates the fact 
that the potato is a branch, for the up- 
per terminal and lateral buds on a 
branch above ground always grow 
first. 

EXPERIMENTS WITH FERTILIZERS ON 
POTATOES. 

The potatoes used in this experi- 
ment were cut to two-eye pieces the 
largest portion of the fertilizers was 
placed under the tuber, and the re- 
mainder on top, covered with soil. 
Care was taken, however, not to bring 
the seed in contact with the fertilizer, 
except in the case of the coal ashes, 
the latter being used merely for its 
meciianical effect on the land, which 
is often more effective than the em- 
ployment of a fertilizer. The variety 
grown was the White Star, which 
blighted badly, hence we regard the 
experiment as a failure except in the 
case of the row treatetl witli hen ma- 
nure. The variety used in this case 
was early Ohio, not having a sutHcien- 
cy of White Star. The following 
table shows results : 

TABLE NO. 4. 



Description of manures 

and quantities used 

per acre. 



«t 


IS 


T) 






n> 


















o 










a 


p 














o 


p 


w 


p- 


B 




a> 


p 




T3 


■o 


3 


O 


o 




P 


p 


p 

p 






O 




tt> 


a> 








o 






N 







350 Ifes Tank manure 


10 


66 


34 


131 


200n)sSalt 


8.6 


37 


63 


101.20 


200 ft)S Gypsum 


6.5 
9 
30 


30 
36 
75 


70 
64 
25 


76.23 




108.54 


250 ftis Hen manure 


363 


50 bushels Lime 


4.8 


30 


70 


54.27 


100 lbs Tobacco 


4.3 


25 


75 


50.40 


No manure 


6.2 


40 


60 


74.28 



10 



IRRIGATION IN HORTICULTURE. 



IRRIGATION IN HORTICULTURE. 



The science and practice of irriga- 
tion have been appreciated in all asjes 
of the world's history by people pos- 
sessing the most varied climates, and 
of every grade of civilization ; the re- 
mains of whose work in oriental coun- 
tries proves them to have had no small 
knowledge of hydraulic science and 
engineering devices. The profitable 
application of water to land may be 
said to be almost a science, requiring 
sound judgment, with experience and 
keen observation to insure success, 
and which practice alone can give, 
combined with areasonable knowledge 
of the needs and nature of the plant's 
grown, as well as at least a physical 
knowledge of the soils with which we 
have to deal. For in many soils the 
presence of a hard-pan, whether it oc 
curs there naturally or is induced by 
the slide of the plow and tramp of the 
horses by continued plowing at the 
same depth, must ever be a serious 
drawback to successful plant growth 
wherever it occurs. There are differ- 
ent kinds of hard-pan, and whenever 
the roots of plants strike and cannot 
penetrate them, they deflect and pro- 
ceed in a horizontal direction, and 
hence suffer because not below the 
frost line, and within reach of perma- 
nent moisture. If such a deep rooting 
subject as alfalfa plant should fail on 
the unirrigated plains, it seems to me 
it will largely be due to the presence 



of a hard-pan preventing the roots 
reaching a permanent moisture. 

Much conflict of opinion and expe- 
riences seems to exist among horticul- 
turists in regard to the amount and 
frequency of irrigation needed in the 
culture of the larger fruits ; such difler- 
ences are due no doubt to a lack on 
the part of some, or of perhaps all, in 
not taking into consideration all ol 
the attending circumstances, such as 
the character of the soil and sub. soil, 
the amount of moisture in the lattei, 
which will hinge upon its contiguity 
to irrigating ditches or springs, to 
some extent on its elevation and the 
amount of irrigated land in its neigh- 
borhood. To justly recognize cause 
and effect, enables us to correctly in- 
terpret the teachings of nature, and 
this requires a most careful considera- 
tion of all the attending circumstances 
in relation to eacli other. 

In open, sandy soils tbe water rises 
rapidly trom below, but only to a 
moderate height, and are improved 
for horticultuaal purposes bv liaving a 
more dense sub-soil that will draw up 
water from greater depths than if the 
whole dej)th of soil were of the same 
open, sandy character; while soils 
composed of very flnely comminuted 
particles the rise of moisture from be- 
low is comparatively slow, taking 
quite a lomi time in reaching its high- 
est point, which is several times high- 



IRRIGATION IN HORTICULTURE. 



11 



er than those of more open character ; 
these soils are compact, and when 
pooi'ly tilled exhibit gaping craclis 
after irrigation, if not thoroughly cul- 
tivated. A well tilled soil maintains 
both a quicker supply of moisture from 
below and a slower surface evapora- 
tion, thereby insuring a more steady 
supply of moisture throughout the 
growing season. 

Water exerts a beneficial influence 
upon the soil and upon vegetation, in 
that it supplies moisture, by which 
vegetation is made possible, and that 
by conveying and mingling such an 
amount of oxygen with the soil as 
could not get there as air, and which 
is requisite to form the nitrates and 
carbonic acid, and thus aid in dissolv- 
ing the food elements of the soil for 
the growth of plants. 

While water and the air it contains 
are all potent in the growth of plants, 
and by its aid we are enabled to obtain 
a liberal plant growth on the poorest 
soils ; yet for the jiurposes of intensi 
fled horticulture seen in tiie growth of 
leaf plants it has its limits; fertilizers 
on upland soils especially are now in- 
dispensable to the horticulturist in 
dealing with the plants of our time, 
whose improved character can only 
be maintained in theirgreatest perfec- 
tion by inexorably high culture. 

The quantity and frequency of irri- 
gation for the production of a full crop 
of any horticultural product, will de- 
pend upon a variety of considerations, 
and chief among them is the atfinity 
of the plant itself for water, combined 
with a knowledge of the area and 
depth of soil upon which it feeds. The 
cultivator must observe whether the 
plants he wishes to grow are shallow 
or deep rooted, whether the roots 
break up into a mass of fibeiS near the 
surface or partake of the nature of a 



thickened underground stem extend- 
ing several feet in length, with but 
few fibers, as the alfalfa. 

The roots of the strawberry have 
been traced to a depth of three feet, 
extendinsr nearly vertically, under the 
plant; the horizontal or fibrous roots 
cover an area scarcely exceeding that 
of the leaves, and from this we infer 
that close and deep cultivation cannot 
injuriously affect the roots. 

The roots of the grape have been 
found at a depth of eleven feet. They 
will, during the season of greatest ac- 
tivity, go down to the sources of perm- 
anent moisture. 

The rooting habit of the tomato and 
some other plants is the opposite of 
this. It possesses a multiplicity of 
fibrous roots which cover and feed 
upon an area quite five feet in diam- 
eter, and within twelve inches of the 
surface ; its tap-root, however, we 
have traced to a depth of nearly three 
feet. 

Vegetation should be encouraged to 
root downward for its permanent 
moisture. The chemical elements of 
fertility may exist in the soil in sutH- 
cient quantity ; yet heat, light and air 
are the prime essential stimulating 
forces of plant growth, to which mois- 
ture is a contributing factor, and 
which we in this climate are privileg- 
ed to apply or withold at will; to 
to apply is the work of irrigation, 
to conserve is the provinceof cultiva- 
tion. 

The agriculturist is, however, more 
the slave of circumstances than is the 
gardener, for the latter can, by modi- 
fication of treatment, keep his plants 
in a growing condition, and thus pre- 
vent their flowering at an improper 
time; indeed, a prime oliject of cul- 
ture IS to stimulate the vegetative 
function and thus keep in idiei-k the 



12 



IRRIGATION IN HORTICULTURE. 



fruiting organs and delay the period 
of bloom. 

Surface irrigation, whether prac- 
ticed out ff doors or in the plant- 
house, cannot be too strongly con- 
demned, as it unquestionably induces 
surface rooting, and this is not a desir- 
able result in any ciimate. Tbat 
plants of a permanent character may 
be able to withstand the vicissitudes 
of our climate, their feeding roots 
sbould be well below the surface, and 
this result can be accomplished only 
by thorough and deeplonseiiing of the 
soil, so that when irrigation is had re- 
course to it may be thorough ; occa- 
sional sprinklings not being nearly so 
beneficial as an occasional saturation. 
Surface waterings, besides promoting 
surface rooting, induces a continuous 
evaporation and refrigeration of the 
soil, the latter acting as a wick, draw- 
ing water by capillary attraction to be 
absorbed at the surface by the air 
which it come?! in contact with, and 
depositing at the surface its salts, 
which if in too great quantity, are de- 
structive of all useful vegetation. The 
coolingof the soil by the application of 
too much water is strictly to be guard- 
ed against, especially in the grape, 
which requires warmth at the root as 
an element of success. 

No more definite rule can be laid 
down in regard to the application of 
water to the roots of plants in the open 
ground than is found possible in its 
application to plants in tlower pots in 
a plant-house. Plants, however, al- 
ways resent too much of it at the root 
by their leaves turning yellow, and 
hence denoting defective root action, 
and which is often seen in plants in 
flowerpots, and perhaps less frequent- 
ly in the open ground if cultivation 
has been thorough, 

Land that is nearly level, and is of 



an open, porous texture, will, it is ev- 
ident, tike water readily, and irriga- 
tion in this case will mean something 
if followed promptly by good cultiva- 
tion. On the other hand, land that 
rolls very much and is of an adhesive 
character, is exceedingly difficult to 
irrigate properly, and for hoed crops 
or young trees is certainly undesirable. 
For this reason we know that no rule 
as to the duty of water will apply, un- 
less the soil is reasonably level and 
will readily take sucli water as we 
may wish to apply to it. Each culti- 
vator must determine for himself as 
to the frequency and quantity of water 
necessary to constitute an irrigation of 
such plants as he may cultivate; re- 
membering alvvays that the feeding 
roots of young trees just planted are 
close to the stem for the first year or 
two; in after years, as the trees devel- 
op, they will generally feed upon an 
area as wide as the trees are high. 
Trees of upright growth, like the 
white ash and the Whitney crab, and 
trees of low spreading habit, like the 
box elder and the Tall man Sweeting 
apple, have each a rooting habit cor- 
responding to their mode of growth 
above ground. 

The remedy for the betterment of 
soils surcharged with the neutral alka- 
line salts, and whose texture is very 
compact and adhesive, is thorough 
tillage, and the leaching out of the al- 
kali by copions irrigations combined 
with either natural or artificial under- 
drainage. The frequent Irrigation of 
the soil assuring the inter-mixture of 
the surface deposit of alkali with the 
lower strata of the soil and thus dilut- 
ing it and partially neutralizing its 
injurious presence. Cultivation, too, 
checks evaporation, and hence cur- 
rently lessens the deposit of alkali 
on the surface. A loose, dry top soil 



IRRIGATION IN HORTICULTURE. 



13 



acts as a cushion of earth, and air, in- 
tercepting the continuity of the up- 
ward passage of moisture, along the 
lowest plane of cultivation. 

Among some sowed crops on adhe- 
sive soils there may be noticed now 
and then plants, or patches of plants, 
very much stunted and debilitated, 
which is due, to a very considerable 
extent, to the severe constitution of 
the stems at the ground surface, by 
the hardening crust that forms there 
after irrigation, and which cannot be 
broken up without injury to the grow- 
ing crop. This pressure about the 
stems is a species of pruning, and is 
equivalent to the application of a liga 
ture to the stem of a plant above 
ground, and which results in both 
cases in abridgement of the functions 
of vegetation. This hard crust also 
diies much more rapidly than would 
the same soil in good tilth ; it also ab- 
sorbs water more quickly and power- 
fully than does the loose soil just be- 
neath it, which hence parts moie rea- 
dily with its contained nioist'ire, and 
which by reason of atmospheric infiu 
ences, is quickly evaporated, harden- 
ing the surface and increasing the de- 
posit of alkali there, and which is es- 
aecially injurious to all surface rooting 
plants, which are chiefly annuals. 

In British India, the government, 
after spending f-normous sums to get 
water on the land, have been for some 
time confronted with the problem as 
to how to economically dispose of the 
surplus, and thus relieve the soil of the 
accumulated alkali that has in some 
cases lendered it unfit for cultivation. 

For the intense cultures of the hor- 
ticulturist, irrigation by means of a 
system of under ground ptpes would 
seem to commend itself. It is much 
practiced in C-ilitornia, and is known 



as the "Asbestine" system of sub- 
irrigation. Its merits are that it is 
economical of water, it holds in check 
the rise of the alkali, because the sur- 
face soil never leaks, (no water com- 
ing to the surface) and it has a power- 
ful influence in inducing tne roots of 
plants to go down deep beyond the vi- 
cissitudes of climate. 

At this elevation surface evapora- 
tion is rapid, water is quickly dissi- 
pated, and partly for this reason we 
believe that sub-irrigation offers posi- 
tive advantages to the horticulturist, 
especially in the cultivation of land 
whose inclination forbids profitable 
surface watering. 

In Italy the flavor of fruits is said to 
be inferior when grown by means of 
irrigation, and the seeds of vegetables 
are said to deteriorate to such an ex- 
tent as to renaer a recourse to foreign 
sources a necessity, and that this may 
be true in this state we have some rea- 
son to believe, from a recent report of 
the chemist of the department of agri- 
culture in regard to the wheats of Col- 
orado, which shows them to have lost 
in weight, in nitrogen, in ash and al- 
buminoids, as compared with former 
analysis. The deterioration of the 
seed in these important elements may, 
as Professor Blount suggests, be due 
to untoward seasons, but it it may also 
be due to soil deterioration, for as a 
rule we have as yet but skimmed the 
surface of our soils, leaving untouched 
a wealth of plant food, to be made 
available by deep and thorough 
tillage. 

To assure the complete development 
of the plants we grow we must have in 
the soil the elements necssary to that 
end, for certainly the waters of irri- 
gation do not contain them. Light, 
heat, a dry soil, with a moderate 



14 



IRRIGATION IN HORTICULTURE. 



growth, are all essential to superior 
flavor in table fruits, and this desira- 
ble end it is in our power to attain, by 
surrounding our plants witli condi- 
tions favorable to flavor, and the ma- 
turation of the seed. 

Crops that succeed on alkaline soils 
are of root crops, beets, carrots, pars- 
nips, turnips, and cabbage. 

The cultivation of table fruits is not 
materially interfered with by the 
presence of a moderate amount of al- 
kali, providing always that the water 
table has been lowered by proper un- 
der drainage. 

It is a noteworthy fact that apple 
trees on the most alkalied land on the 
college farm are those that carried the 
most fruit for the past two seasons. 
This circumstance was also noticed by 
Mr. McClelland on his own fruit farm. 
I do not from this wish it to be inferred 
that I recommend such soils as being 
best for the culture of table fruits, but 



merely record the fact above noted, 
that the presence of the neutral alka- 
line salts are not inimiral to the suc- 
cessful culture of the larger table 
fruits. 

With the positive assurance of sun- 
shine and water, the horticulturist of 
this state is placed at an immense ad- 
vantage over his eastern co-laborer, 
and can flatter himself upon a certain- 
ty of success, providing that in his 
management of such plants as make a 
definite annual growth (as the apple) 
he observes the cardinal principle that 
such growth should be moderate in 
amount, and thoroughly ripened ; the 
dry air for which our country is pro- 
verbial inducing (if we withold water 
at the root at the proper time) an in- 
spissated condition of the sap, which 
enables plants to withstand success- 
fully the rigors of climate, and which 
induces in all cases the formation of 
blossom and of fruit. 



REPORT ON GRASSES. 



15 



REPORT ON GRASSES. 



The grasses are witliout doubt the 
most important order of the vegetable 
kingdoui, and probably the most 
natural one, that boianists have con- 
trived. A technical lincvvledge of 
them is, however, difficult of acquire- 
ment, because of the similarity of 
structure of both genera and species ; 
the diflerenoes being sought for in the 
smaller details, and which are made 
visible to us only by means of the mi- 
croscope. 

Tlieir habits are familiar to most of 
as, as are the various and important 
uses of the seeds of wheat, oats, rice 
rye, barley and maize. The various 
genera and species are reniarlvable, too, 
in not exhibiting in any one case poi- 
sonous properties, but on the contrary 
are, in almost ail cases, wholesome and 
nutritious, especially the seeds, in va- 
rying proportions, and in the stem, 
too, we find a no less remarkable uni- 
formity of nature. All the grasses con- 
tain, in a greater or less degree, ac- 
cording to the species, a sugary mucil- 
age; the creeping roots, too, are gener- 
ally mucilaginous and demulcent; 
but they are especially valuable in 
holding the banks of streams and irri- 
gating ditches, and for binding the 
shifting sands of the sea coast. 

The day is coming when much of 
these plains will be seeded to the more 
useful grasses, either for permanent 



pasturage or to be used as a change 
crop in some regular rotation, and 
such species as now hold possession 
will either become extinct or will be 
found only in public or private herb- 
ariums. 

But few of the native grasses are 
able to endure the contact of civiliza- 
tion ; moreover but a few of them jjro- 
duce a sufHcient weight of stem and 
foliage to warrant their retention in 
any system of sojI culture, and many 
of them are (especially the native blue 
grass, agronyrum glacum) impatient 
of continued irrigation. There are, 
however, a few species that would 
seem worthy of trial, as Andropogon 
furcatus, known as blue stem on the 
plains, Panicum virgatum, and ama- 
rum, especially the former, and Chrys- 
opogon untans, commonly called 
sorghum grass, Muhlenbergia Glom- 
erata and comata are worthy of 
trial; these grasses are not Impatient 
of irrigation, as is very well known. 

No doubt there are other iudigenu- 
ous grasses possessing merit, and that 
are at least worthy of trial, and with 
this object in view we have collected 
seeds of those most promising for trial 
under cultivation. 

Of cultivated grasses the only spe- 
cies sown to any extent in this state is 
timothy. It yields an extraordinary 
growth with irrigation, especially far 



16 



REPORT ON GRASSES. 



up in the Rocky mountains, where the 
average temperature is lower than that 
of the plains. Native timothy is 
hardly less luxuriant, but as to how it 
would behave under repeated irriga- 
tions remains yet to be determined. 

Red-top has been sown to a small ex- 
tent in wet meadows, with the best re- 
sults. It is a native, too, growing 
luxuriantly in moist meadows and 
along the streams in the mountain 
parks. The panicle of the native Red 
topis much thinner than that of the 
cultivated type, and of a somewhat 
graceful and drooping habit. 

June grass, Poa pratensis, is also na- 
tive to the Rocky mountains. It is 
found only at high altitudes and in 
much dryer places than Red-top, its 
habit of deep rooting enabling it to 
withstand extremes of drought better 
than some other species. 

The White Bent, Agrostis alba, is 
nearly as plentiful as Red-top, but 
with less luxuriance of stem and leaf; 
the panicle ranging in color from light 
green to purplish brown. 

The above grasses being native her*^, 
are perfectly at home, and seem in a 
greater measure to meet the wants of 
stockmen than do any other grasses 
that have as yet been tried. 

Other cultivated gaasses that are es- 
pecially worthy of trial on a larger 
scale than comes within our province, 
are the Meadow Foxtail, one of the 
earliest to commence growth as well 
as to flower. Like other Foxtail 
grasses, it prefers moist situations, and 
is valuable for early pasture. Its seeds 
are light, averaging about five pounds 
to the bushel. 

Tall Oat grass is among the earliest 
of all the cultivated grasses to grow in 
the spring ; it roots very deeply, starts 
growth quickly after being cut and is 
adapted to thin soils and dry situa- 



ations. It seems to succeed admira- 
bly in Kansas and the southwest, and 
certainly made an excellent showing 
the past season at this place. 

Taller Fescue, Festuea elatior, also 
gives evidence of value as a pasture or 
meadow grass. Nearly all the Fescue 
grasses grow in tussocks, are nutri- 
tious and are much relished by stock. 

Meadow Fescue resemble the above. 
It is of vigorous growth, yielding an 
abundance of nutritious stems and 
leaves. 

English Rye grass proved to be early 
and productive. Its growth is dense, 
and is apparently hardy. 

Italian Rye grass growing alongside 
the above winter-killed badly. 

Orchard grass ought to be one of 
the best for the northwest, especially 
in its ability to resist drought. It had 
but one irrigation tnis season, yet 
withal its appearance attests its merit. 

For light, thin soils, on dry hill 
sides, the bunch grasses, as red Fescue, 
and the forms of Festuoa owwia should 
succeed, especially when helped out 
by irrigation . 

My notes on the cultivated grasses 
are tabulated in table 5, whicli shows 
their height in inches at certain dates 
during the growing season, how they 
wintered, when they bloomed, with 
some remarks on their general appear- 
ance, and value. None of the grass 
plats were irrigated until after they 
were cut; each plat had iiad, however 
a liberal top dressinj^ of sheep manure 
which he[ped their growth amazingly. 

In regard to the best lawn grasses 
for Colorado, we will say that where 
ground has much of a slope it is best to 
sow white clover or red top, in sutfl- 
cieut quantity to cover the ground 
quickly with a thick sward, and if tbe 
soil is fairly fertile, its mechanical con- 



REPORT ON GRASSES. 



17 



dition good and the seed is sown early, 
a good growth may l)e expected before 
irrigation becomes necessary. A little 
blue gra«s might be sown at tlie same 
ime. It will ultii»iately take posses- 



sion, no matter what grass has been 
sown. It makes the very best of 
lawns; it is, however, much more dif- 
ficult to cut witii a lawn mower than 
either clover or Red-top, 



TABLE NO. S—GRASSES. 



Name. 



taia 



|: 



Remarks. 



Tall meadow Oat grass. 

Orchard 

Tall Fescue 

Meadow Fescue 

Hai'd Fescue 

Creeping? Bent 

Meadow Soft 

Meadow Foxtail 

Kentucky Blue 

P^nglish Ry e 

Yellow Oat 

White Clover 

Red Clover 

Alsike 

Alfalfa 

Saintfoiu 

Red To}) 

Timothy 

Hungarian 

Sheep's Fescue 

Schraeder's 



12,19 

y,ii 

Dill 
!)|14 

.•-;j T) 

4! .5 
!>:13 
!i!ll 
,S 10 

I0I14 
(ii 9 
416 

1015 

4 
12 22 

7,12 
(>; 9 
7, 9 
...; 1 
.3 4 

5 7 



Flowered June 22nd. 

Flowered .June 20th. 

Flowered June 20th. 

Flowered June 23rd. 

Flowered July 1st. 

In flower July 2nd, good lawn grass. 

In flower June 30th. 

In flower June 1st. 

Bloomed July 1st, for lawns or pasture. 

Bloomed .June 22nd. 

Bloomed .July (5th. 

Bloomed May 30th. 

Bloomed May 30th. 

Bloomed May 30th. 

Bloomed June 20th. 

Bloomed June 12th. 

Bloomed July 3rd, excellent for lawns. 

Bloomed July 9th, a meadow grass. 

Bloomed August 24th. 

In bloom May 24th. 

Annual of little value. 



18 



REPORT ON WEEDS. 



REPORT ON WEEDS. 



That considerable apathy is shown 
by farmers and townspeople alike in 
this state on the weed question cannot 
for a moment be doubted by anyone 
who has seen much of its agriculture 
or horticulture. 

With the progress of agriculture the 
use of water has of course been a nec- 
essity, and this with our climate has 
rendered a proper appreciation of the 
subject, with a view to their extermin 
ationseem like arming oneself against 
a sea of troul)les. 

It is but a question of time for the 
worst weed pests of the older states to 
be introduced, and when here they are 
very likely to stay, for Colorado is a per 
feet paradise to tliem. 

Fortunately, weeds are only particu- 
larly destructive on irrigated lands, 
the plains are too dry, the soil bakes 
too much for the running weeds to ob- 
tain much foothold; our weeds, too, 
are many of them annuals, and hence 
are more easily kept in subjection tlian 
those that are perennial, and which 
have unde>-ground stems. All planls 
are endowed with means more or less 
effective for their reproduciion ; such 
as possess, superior growth of root and 
top, seed early and freely, or perhaps 
possess some especial contrivance for 
their dissemination, take possession of 



the soil and smother out those less 
well endowed by nature. 

The poverty weed, so well known to 
the farmers of this state, is a case in 
point ; its vitality is such that we may 
compass the whole gamut ot natural 
conditions and still it is at home, out- 
rivalling in tenacity the infamous 
pussley, whose home is at least tbat of 
two continents, and which, while de- 
structive enough for the time it has 
been in the state, finds a period to its 
luxuriance in the cool nights of early 
summer and fall. 

Another well known plant in this 
state is the cat-tail [lypha latipolia), 
which spreads everywhere, for the rea- 
son that its seeds are light as air, and 
are carried by the wind loig distances; 
when they alight on asjjot sufficiently 
moist they germinate, the abundant 
moisture furnishing the proper nidus 
to insure its continuance. 

The spread of fox-tail {JJordeum ju- 
batum) on the plains and in the moun- 
tiins is something appalling; it 
slretciies in broad patches wnerever 
the conditions are favorable, and it is 
rarely th it they are otherwise. The 
presence of this grass, and many oth 
ers that are worthless under all cir- 
cumstances, urgently suggests the pro- 
priety of under draining, or open 



REPORT ON WEEDS. 



19 



ditches, to lower the water line, and 
thereby induce the better grasses to 
obtain a foothold. 

Some new species are continually be- 
ing introduced, and many old ones 
are rapidly extending their 'domain 
and increasing tiieir giipon the soil 
by reason of the many new farms op- 
ened up and tlie careless and profitless 
culture of old ones. Many have tiieir 
seeds in the crops grown, and which 
are too often difficult to detect because 
of their resemblance to the grain sown ; 
their size, too, renders separation 
difiicult. Proper regard tlien should 
be had to the purity of tlie seed sown, 
nothing sliorl of this will save future 
trouble and expense. 

The practice of thin seeding so com- 
mon in tliis state cannot be but a fruit- 
ful source of tiie almost innumeral)le 
host of weeds seen upon so many 
farms. Thin seeding is no doubt all 
right with good seed, and where the 
land is tolerably clean and in good 
heart; and especially is it all right in 
countries where a farmer luay sue his 
neighbor for neglect to destroy the 
weeds on his faru}. We believe in 
sowing heavy enough to keep at least 
a fair proportion <-f the weeds in sub- 
jection or, if land becomes too foul for 
profitable cultivation to put in clover, 
or some vigorous grass to smother 
tiiem out. Next to this the i)est rem- 
edy is to ct-aselessly cut them down, 
whether they are annual or perennial, 
and this cutting must be before seed- 
ing ; it must also be thorough and rad- 
ical or it will fall short of its purpose. 



There is a poinfin most plants call- 
ed the collar, which is analogous to a 
similar point in vertebrate animals at 
the base of the brain, and which if cut 
or injured at this point will insure 
their destruction. Many plants when 
cut down at the period of blooming 
have a sufficiency of nutriment in 
tiieir leaves and stems to perfect a crop 
of seeds. 

The vitality of the seeds of weeds is 
undoubtedly far in excess of those of 
cultivated plants because a weed is a 
natural product, and is constantly re- 
newing its vigor from seed, the pro- 
duction of which is its sole object ; so 
that tlie seeds of weeds have often been 
buried at de|)ths far below the in- 
fluences tltat induce germination, and 
when ultimately brought to the sur- 
face, a crop of weeds was the result. 

The plant under cultivation is more 
or less removed from the natural, and 
hence surrounded by artificial condi- 
tions ; it is in fact a product of the art 
of man, and hence necessarily cou- 
forins to his wili in whatever direction 
it has been developed by him, so long 
as he protects it from the conditions of 
nature. 

Weeds were not created however 
without purpose; they occupy an 
important place in medicine, they 
quickly clothe naked soils, and when 
turned under with the plow, or in their 
natural growth and decay, furnish a 
nidus for the mighty oak, and per- 
haps they have another use in that 
they force man to cultivate the soil if 
he would reap of its fruits. 



20 



REPORT ON FORESTRY. 



REPORT ON FORESTRY. 



The subject of forest tree planting 
does not as yet receive that attention 
at the hands of the people of this state 
which Its importance demands. The 
people of the country at large, how- 
ever, are waking up to the necessity at 
least of using judiciously our present 
supply of tree growth. Some of the 
most serious economic questions this 
country has ever been called upon to 
consider are grouped under tiie com- 
prehensive head of forestry. Tlie 
production of fuel and timber for tlie 
supply of the various industries of 
life is but one phase of the question. 
Another, and quite as important, is 
the connection between certain por- 
tions of the western forest area and a 
steady supply of water for the rivers 
by which irrigation is made possible, 
and still another is the possibility of 
danger from mountain torrents. 

To mould and shape public opinion 
each individual who feels an interest 
in rural affairs, as well as agricultural 
organizations of every kind, have 
abundant opportunity for the per- 
formance of missionary work, in edu- 
cating pul)lic opinion up to a better 
appreciation of the positive and bene- 
ficial results accruing from the pres- 
ence of trees and shrubs on every 
farm whether large or small. 



It is true that the necessities of pio- 
neer farming warrant, to some extent, 
the lack of interest shown in tree 
planting in Colorado, justl as wheat 
raising is tolerated by the same neces- 
sities, and, if we may be allowed the 
digression here, this kind of farming 
is always productive of impover- 
ishment in every way. if long persist- 
ed in, because it impoverishes the soil, 
encourages the presence of weeds, de- 
teriorates the seed sown and repudi- 
ates the science of agriculture. Too 
many of us know no future; we live 
but to day, for the day and by the day; 
we want quick returns. The straw- 
berry is commendable because of this, 
but the apple is a slow jade. How- 
ever, time and tlie logic of nature will 
remedy this. 

Wherever civilization has obtained 
a foothold tree growth is a necessity, 
and contributes as much to its ad- 
vancement as that of any other natur- 
al product. From the cradle to the 
grave, in all the industries and pur- 
suits of life, we are incessantly in- 
debted to trees. We do not believe 
that any one now living vvill see for- 
ests of trees on these plains, but we do 
believe tbat they will see groves of 
trees, plantings by the roadside, along 
the irrigating ditcbes, near the dwe'- 



REPORT ON FORESTRY. 



21 



liug and the barns on every farm 
worthy of the name, as a protection 
against wind to man and beast, 
to orchards, and as a reme- 
dy for tiie dry winds that al- 
most annihilate one's ardor for fruit 
growing. This state, with its varying 
elevations, is hardly equaled in the 
beauty and health-giving qualities of 
its climate, will always be in demand. 
Her soil is fertile, and capable, with 
irrigation, of producing as wide a 
range of agricultural products, when 
the conditions are properly under- 
stood, as the most favored of the 
states. In spots, it is true, the soil 
may be feeling the f^ffect of some spe- 
cial and exhaustive culture, but still 
not beyond tlie reach of speedy recu- 
peration. It is safe to say that by the 
planting of wind breaks along the 
irrigating ditches and wherever else 
such plantings might suggest them- 
selves, that the average crop of pro- 
ducts of Coloiado farms would be 
measurably increased tliereby. 

Fires are one of the mo^t difficult 
things to deal with in the preserva 
tion of our mountain tree growth, do- 
ing, it is estimated, a hundred times 
as much damage as tbe axe. Many 
people do not think of the value ot' a 
tree, and too frequently do not care 
where a tire may end, so long as it 
does not atfecL their own interest. 
Large numbers of saw mills are doing 
their deadly work anjong the moun- 
tain forests, and the owners are not 
likely to be much hindered in their 
work by senlinu-ntal growlers about 
the welfare ol future generations. The 
lumbernian's greatest sin is in the 
damage he does to such trees as are 
not of a commercial value, by leaving 
the ground strewn with such as are 
often wantonly cut down, and which 
gives the incipient fire the headway 



that ultimately destroys the forest. 
The thinning of trees in a forest by 
the removal of such as are of mature 
growth is beneficial to the remainder, 
because every species of tree at a cer- 
tain age ceases to be profitable, and 
had better be removed that such as 
are younger may have a better chance. 

Any land that will produce good 
farm crops will grow good trees, and 
we shall succeed in producing hardy 
trees only by practicing such culture 
as will induce an early formation of 
the terminal bud, and by employing 
such kinds as make a definite an- 
nual growth. The Ailanthus fails 
because its growth appears to be in- 
definite and hence its tops are killed 
by the first frosts of autumn. 

The sowing of tree seeds where the 
plants are to remain is usually poor 
economy. An exception might be 
made, perhaps, in favor of the walaut 
and butternut, whose fruit is large and 
growth strong from the start. 

We recommend generally the sow- 
ing of seeds in frames, seed beds or 
nursery rows when they can receive 
proper care and attention during their 
infancy. At the same time we think 
that the average farmer would not be 
likely to meet with much success in 
his efforts to raise liis own trees. He 
can usually buy them so much cheaper 
from the nurserymen, who possess 
the necessary skill and appliances to 
insure success. 

The soil should be such as will not 
bake; it should be in a good state of 
fertility and tilth, be free as possible 
of weeds and the seed fresh. The seed 
is best sown in rows about nine inches 
apart, that weeding and cultivation 
may be properly arid seasonably at- 
tended to. The fruit of most nut trees 
are best sown in the fall, as are also 



22 



REPOKT ON FORESTRY. 



the seeds of the ash, the horn bean, 
the pear, locust, pfum, peach, apple 
and some of the maples, in order that 
they may get a good freezing, which 
insures their vegetating the follow- 
ing spring. 

The white and scarlet maples, black 
birch and the elms ripen their seeds 
in early summer, and should be sown 
as soon as gathered. 

Seeds sown in the fall should be 
covered with a mulch to keep the soil 
from heaving and to prevent their 
drying out. The use of lath screens 
are always helpful in this climate to 
shade from the hot sun. Two to three 
years old is about the age at which 
they are transplanted for forest pur- 
poses. If grown for ornamental pur- 
poses, the nurseryman transplants 
them every two or three years, and if 
handled in this way they may be 
transplanted in any climate wiien fif- 
teen to twenty feet high. 

Tha soft wooded kinds may also be 
propagated fiom cuttings. They 
make the poorest quality of timber. 
It is nature's axiom that whatever is 
rapid in growth is rapid in decay. The 
trees of softer texture, however, whose 
fiber is susceptible of being reduced to 
pulp and rolled into paper or conveit- 
ed into the manifold uses to which 
wood pulp is applied may prove as val- 
uable to this and future geiieratii)ns 
as the oak has l»een to the past. 

The ash, catalpa and tulip tree 
should be sown tnickly to insure a 
crop, as much of the seed is imper- 
fect. 

The bh'ches, alders, mulberry, catal- 
pa and platanusare best sown in the 
spring. 

Evergreens are the most valuable 
trees for shelter and ornament but are 
much more difllcult to obtain from 
seed than any other class of trees. Nor 



can they be grown as profitably for 
timber, even in the most favored sec- 
tions of the country, as deciduous 
kinds. 

The beds in which the seeds are 
sown should be covered with lath 
screen and the position as sheltered as 
possible from the sun and drying 
winds. The first few months, until 
the formation of the terminal bud, is 
their most critical time. A close con- 
fined atmosphere with too much water 
will cause Ihe young seedlings to dis- 
appear in twenty-four hours. We pro- 
tect the young seedlings in winter 
with a mulch of leaves or pine needles 
retaining ilie screens overhead. We 
transplant after two years in the seed 
bed although strong growing pines, 
like the Austrian Scotch and Red, are 
often fit in one year. The Junipers, 
Yews and some pines will not as a 
rule vegetate until the second year. 

The seeds of some kinds, as the 
Scotch Austrian and pitch pines, re- 
tain their vitality, if kept in a cool, 
dry place, for years, while the silver 
firs quickly lose their vitality if not 
speedily consigned to mother earth. 

The best time to transplant ever- 
greens is still a debatable question by 
people who prefer to discuss a theoiy 
to putting it into practice. Ever- 
greens nave their periods of growth 
and rest, as do other plants, and un- 
der ctrtain favoring conditions may 
be removed wlien in full growth, but 
the dormant season is the one most 
likely to favor success under ordinary 
circumstances. We have been equally 
successful in October and May in re- 
moving the mountain evergreens, pay- 
ing particular attention to the sacking 
of the roots and making sure that the 
latter do not dry. 

The majority of evergreens may be 
propagated from ripe woodcuttings or 



REPORT ON FORESTRY. 



23 



from eui lings of the young growing 
wood, tlie latter being the more diffi- 
cult operatii>n. The cutting is best 
talten witii a little of ttie two-year-old 
wood attaclied. 

Tiie cuttings are set out in cold 
frames in a shady placf, well watered, 
and so remain until spring; no sun 
must get at them until they are rooted, 
for if the leaves are once excited into 
growth no root form;ition can occur 
afterwards The formation of roots 
occurs at a lower temperature than 
would be sutTicient for the growth of 
leaves and success will hinge on our 
success in trmintaining a cool atmos- 
phere until the emission of roots has 
taken place. Evergreens may be pro- 
pagated from cutting of the current 
season's growth while yet green if one 
has control of bottom heat such as that 
given by a liot bed we liave been sue 



cessful the past season in rooting a fair 
proportion of red and silver spruce in 
this way. The following shrubs are 
in every way admirable for Colorado: 

COMMON NAME. SCIENTIFIC NAME. 

Sweet Shrub Calycanthus floridus 

Button Bush Cephalanthus occideutalis 

Sweet Pepper Bush Clethra almfolia 

TJhukler Senna Colutea arborescens 

Golden Bell Forsythia viridissima 

White Althea Hibiscus syriacus 

Hydrangea. Hydrangea paniculata graudiflora 

Snowberry, red Symphorioearpus vulgaris 

Snowball Viburnum o])ulus 

Spiraea. ..Spiraea billiardi, and other varieties 

Lilac, purple and white Syringa vulgaris 

Privert Ligustruni amurense 

Honeysuckle Lonicera grandiflora 

Mock Orange Philadelphus coronarius 

Currant Ribes tloridum 

VVeigelia Weigelia rosea 

The annexed list of trees are grow" 
ing on the college grounds. There are 
many others under trial but it will 
take another season to enable us to 
pass judgment on them: 



24 



REPORT ON FORESTRY. 



TABLE NO. 6— DECIDUOUS TREES FOR COLORADO. 



SCIENTIFIC NAME. 


COMMON NAME. 


REMARKS. 




Red Oak 

Butternut 


Hardy, a good grower, timber interior. 
Vigorous grower, hardy and desirable. 
Vigorous grower, hardy and desirable. 
Vigorous grower, hardy and desirable. 
Small tree desirable rbr moist places. 
A valuable tree, hardly and desirable. 
Desirable, hardy, wood excellent. 
Rapid grower, timber desirable. 
Rapid grower, hardy, timber inferior. 
Medium grower, iuirdy, wood desirable. 
In every way a desirable tree. 






Black Walnut 

White Ash 


Fraximus Americana 






American Chestnut 
Black Birch 




Acer dasycarpuiii 


White Maple 

Red Maple 






Black Cherry 

White Elm 






English P^lni 


Ornamental and desirable. 


Berberis vulgars 

Berberis canadensis 

Carpinus Americana 


Common Barberry. 
Am. Barberry 


A good hedge plant. 
A good hedge {)lant. 
Tree snuill, hardy, and we tliink, desirable. 


Common Alder 

White .Mulberry... 


Growth rapid, tree hardy and desirable. 
Medium size, hardy and ma}' prove desirable. 
A valuable iied<re jilant. 


Morns alba 




Sliepherdia argentea 


Buffalo Berry 

Dogvvood 


Ti-ee small hardy and desirable. 
Tree small, hardy and desirable. 
Graceful habit, liardv and desirable. 


Betula lenta 


Sweet Black Birch 
Siberian Pea Tree.. 
Bo.x Elder 




A small tree, hardv and desirable. 




An excellent shade tree. 


Gleditscnia triacantlios... 


Honev Locust 

Wild "olive 


An excellent hedge plant. 


Pyrus ancuparia 


Mountain Ash 

Mountain Ash 


Medium size, hardy and (irnaniental. 
Medium size, hardy and ornamental. 


Populus Riga 39 






Russian 


.\ conunon street tree of northern Europe. 




Russian 




Populus 115 versueli 










Populus Rifii 122 






Populus certevensis 












Salix tragi lis 


Russian 


Common to northern Europe. 




A beautiful, small sized tree. 









REPORT ON FRUITS. 



25 



REPORT ON FRUITS. 



THE ORCHARD. 

There are two small orchards on the 
college farm. One has a northern as- 
pect with a good atmospheric drainage, 
the soil of which is a loose, gravelly 
loam which does not l)ake much after 
irrigating. The second is planted on 
more adhesive soil, nearly level, with 
wind breaks on the west and north- 
west of cottonwoods and honey locust. 
Manj^ of the first plantings in botti or- 
chards have winter killed, notably so 
in the latter, and of the Tallman Sweet 
variety ; the vacancies are now filled 
with varieties of greater merit. 

The varieties of bearing size that are 
uninjured are the Duche«s, Whitneys 
No. 20. Red Astrakhan, Brier Sweet, 
and Ben Davis and are fine symetri- 
cal specimens of their kinds. Both 
orchards contain 622 trees, of ninety- 
five varieties, all of wliich are in ex- 
cellent condition to winter safely and 
ought tc carry considerable fruit next 
season. 

They were irrigated three times, and 
jiiulched the first season. The general 
treatment, and planting of many var- 
ietias, having for its purpose the de- 
termining as to what luetliods of cul- 
tuieaiid selection of kinds, will give 
us trees that are hardy, vigorous and 
productive, taking into consideration 
ail the circumstances under whicii 
I hey are grown. 



The Russian varieties, procured of 
Prof. Budd, of the Iowa Agricultural 
college, have done finely ; when plant- 
ed they were somewhat crooked and 
misshapen, but the past season they 
have made an excellent growth, and 
are certainly as clean and symetrical 
trees as could be desired. 

But very little has been done in the 
west in raising apple seedlings from 
fruit matured here. Seeds of seven 
varieties were sown last spring, a few 
came up this summer, and no doubt 
many more will come up next spring, 
a record will be kept of the percentage 
and parentage of all seedlings. No 
doubt many valuable varieties may be 
produced in this way, the products of 
kinds bred for successive generations 
in one line and inured to the condi- 
tions under which they are originated. 
The history ot all fruit culture shows 
that the more good fruit people have 
the more they want, and fruit of good 
quality, invariably brings good prices. 
All the northwestern states have 
had, and are still having, many diffl- 
cullies to overcome in the culture of 
the larger fruits, and our own state 
has hers, but, once the conditions 
which are the price of fruit culture in 
this slate are understood and put in 
practice, orchards will then, we be- 
lieve, be abundant and incorporated 
into the husbandry ot the state. Our 



26 



REPOET ON FRUITS. 



own methods of culture, or lack of it, 
has nearly as much to do witii our 
success, or failure, as the climate. 
Much of the tree stock that is lost in 
the hands of the farming community 
must, we think, be attributed to care- 
less planting, and lack of care for the 
first two or three year. Nothing 
seems more difficult for some people 
to appreciate than that trees, and 
plants generally, need rather more 
care, and attention to the smaller de- 
tails, than is necessary in the practice 
of the rougher arts of the field. 

The modern apple tree is more or 
less an artificial product, surrounded 
as it is in this state by conditions to 
which it is unacustomed, it is not to 
be wondered at that it should succumb 
if even its primary needs are ignored. 

The obstacles to the culture of the 
apple in this state are, alternations of 
temperature, over-heating of the soil, 
high winds and the injudicious use of 
water. We cannot control the tem- 
perature of the air, but we can produce 
trees that will be proof against it. 
The over-heating of the soil we may 
get over by the use of mulch when the 
trees are young, and when in the bear- 
ing state we may seed to buckwheat 
or to clover, leaving the pruniugs on 
the ground as a mulch. The high 
winds we may mitigate by the use of 
wind breaks of the crab apple ; i^nd 
the application of water is entirely in 
our own hands to use as judgment 
may direct. A mulch, however, has no 
influence in restraining the buds from 
bursting into leaf ; our mulch merely 
affects the roots, keeping them cool 
and moist, the tops are often in the 
atmosphere of early summer, and 
hence will commence growth in con- 
sequence ; drawing food supplies from 
that already stored up for future use 
ill the buds and stems. 



Ill regard to varieties, we are most 
likely to su(!Ceed only with the mosc 
hard 3' sorts of Siberian crabs and their 
crosses, Russian apples, and perhaps 
some few other sorts, that come near 
these in their leading characteristics. 
Varieties that do not start growth too 
early in spring, and whose wood has 
been thorouglily matured will often 
pass the winter unharmed, even 
though they are not thoroughly hardy. 
We prefer trees grown in this climate 
or one as nearly similar as possible, 
but if obliged to take them from one 
radically different would endeavor to 
obtain such as were grown under con- 
ditions favorable to perfect foliage and 
ripening of the wood. Low-headed 
trees are the safest for the plains, they 
are self-protecting, and in a measure 
prevent tile iruiik from becoming over- 
heated in early spring and inducing 
an early rise of the sap. 

Whether they should be planted 
much deeper than in the nursery will 
depend on the character of the soil 
and sub-soil. 

In regard to pruning, we deem it 
unsafe to prune much as vitality 
is often impaired by it. Cottonwoods 
that have been pollarded in this state 
very frequently decay where they have 
been cut over. Pruning the tops to 
let in light and air is common enough 
and beneficial in moist equable climate 
but the character of our climates ren- 
ders that unnecessaiy. 

Plant none but healthy, vigorous 
trees, two or three years old, and by 
mulching them the tin^t season and 
otherwise attending to their needs, 
enough fruit may be raised by every 
farmer for his own use. and that is a 
considerable item. 

Trees and plants generally start into 
vigorous growth in proportion as they 
are healthy and vigorous, and that the 



REPORT ON FRUITS. 



27 



proper conditions of moisture and 
plant fi)(>d are available when the 
plant needs them. Trees planted in 
tilled land, and the weeds allowed to 
grow and take possession, are placed 
at a great disadvantage ; they cannot 
make H vigorous growth, for reasons 
that must be apparent, an(' chief of 
these in this climate is that the mois- 
ture and plant food, that should be the 
portion of the plant cultivated, is 
pumped from the soil ny the weeds 
and gras.ses which are always greater 
scavengers than young trees with but 
few feeding roots. 

SMALIi FRUITS. 

Strawberrries.— The varieties in the 
appended list were planted in the 
s|)ring of 1884, in rows three feet 
apart, and received the usual atten 
tion during the growing seascJn. In 
the fall they were mulched, which 
was allowed to remiin until the 
fruiting season was over. 

In the table we have grouped our 
notes gathered during the year, com- 
prising the date of flowering of each 
kind, the dale on which the first ripe 
fruit appeared, the number of fruit 
stalks to each plant and the average 
number of berries per stalk, with 
some notes as to how each variety be- 
haved during the season. Many of 



the kinds need further trial, when 
pos.sibly age and the superior quality 
of the soil would improve their stand- 
ing. Our statistics say that the fol- 
lowing kinds were the most profita- 
ble: James Vick, Manchester, Hart's 
Minnesota, Crescent Seedling, Indi- 
ana, Black Defiance, Jucunda and 
Bidwell. The habit common to some 
varieties of setting a great many 
more berries than they can mature is 
not so much of an objection in Colora- 
do as it is in places where irrigation is 
not practiced, for if the soil is rich 
enough and the plants possess the 
vigor to respond to the stimulus af- 
forded them, they will certainly not 
fall far short of maturing such fruit 
as they may set. The best flavored 
berries were Jennlng's White, Golden 
Queen, Chas. Downing, Gypsy, Ken- 
tucky, Manchester and Mt. Vernon. 
The latest kinds were Memphis, Late 
Kentucky. Cornelia, Vineland Seed- 
ling and Emma. The earliest were 
Crescent Seedling, Crystal City, 
Phelp's Seedling, Nigh's Superb, 
Piper's Seedling and Bidweli. The 
varieties that rusted badly were the 
Wilson and Sharpless ; the weak 
growers Jnnnings' White, Golden 
Queen and some others were slightly 
affected. 



28 



REPORT ON FRUITS. 



TABLE NO. 7— STRAWBERRIES. 



Variety. 



tx 


^ 


t*1 


!z; 


>- 






o 


o 


< 


Sf 




c 


,_^ 


"1 














•5' 


a 
p 
^ 




a 
o 




























g 


;;■ 


(I> 


CO 






n 


<i 






1 


3 


3 




en' 




c 


32 












S3 


o 




1 


*^ 
3 

a- 

c 

ere 


3 





Remarks. 



Bidwell, P 

Black Defiance, H 

Bii(Bob, H 

Cumberland Triumph, P. 

Cetewayo, P 

Cornelia, P 

Chas. Downing, P 

Champion, P 

Crescent Seedling, P 

Crystal City, H.'. 

Daniel Boone, P 

Endicott's Seedling, H.... 

Emma, H 

Gipsy, P 

Golden Queen, P 

Great American, H 

Haddlestone Favorite, P. 

Hart's Minnesota, H 

Indiana, H 

Jucuuda, H 

James Vick, P , 

Jersey Queen, P 

Kentuclty, h 

Lenning's White, H 

Marion 

Manchester, P 

Mt. Vernon, H 

Memphis Late, H 

High Superb, P 

Mrs. Garfield, H 

Piper's Seedling, H 

Phelps, H .'. 

Prince of Berries, H 

Kay's Prolific, H 

Russell'> Advance 

Senaca Queen, H 

Sharpless, H 

Vinehind Seedling, H 

Wilscm, H 

Warren, H 

Atlantic, H 



10 


10 


.31 


2 to 3 


6 


10 


15 


36 


2 to 3 


10 


12 


15 


32 


1 to 2 


m 


8 


10 


.33 


2 to 3 


7 


10 


20 


41 


1 to 2 


4 


8 


15 


38 


2 to 3 


7 


10 


12 


33 


2 to 4 


6 


10 


10 


31 


1 to 2 


6 


6 


5 


30 


2 to 3 


n 


12 


12 


30 


2 to 3 


9 


12 


20 


39 


1 to 2 


4 


10 


12 


33 


2 to 3 


3 


1(1 


27 


42 


1 to 2 


4 


10 


10 


31 


1 to 2 


4 


12 


17 


36 


1 to 3 


5 


12 


20 


39 2 to 3 


7 


s 


15 


38 1 to 2 


4 


12 


15 


34:1 to 3 


9 


12 


18 


37 


1 to 3 


9 


10 


14 


35 


2 to 3 


10 


10 


12 


33 


2 to 4 


12 


12 


15 


34 


1 to 3 


4 


10 


20 


41 


1 to 2 


8 


10 


15 


36 


1 to 4 


4 


14 


2) 


37 


1 to 4 


4 


8 


12 


35 


1 to 3 


11 


12 


13 


32 


I to 2 


5 


12 


22 


4i 


1 to 2 


() 


,s 


10 


33 


1 to 2 


/ 


10 


14 


35 


1 to 3 


5 


10 


13 


34 


1 to 2 


4 


7 


10 


34 


1 to 2 


10 


10 


14 


35 


1 III 2 


7 


10 


10 


3] 


3 to 4 


(i 


10 


14 


35 


2 10 3 


9 


10 


15 


36 


1 lo 2 


9 


12 


15 


34 


1 10 3 


7 


12 


21 


40 


1 to 2 


8 


10 


12 


33 


2 to 3 


10 


8 


10 


33 


1 to 2 


4 


8 


12 


35 


2 to 3 


6 



Foliage good, productive and desirable. 

Foliage abundant, dark green near the ground. 

Foliage large, not productive, fruit poor. 

Weak grower, Iruit soft, not desirable. 

Very late, needs further trial. 

Foliage healthy, valuable for family use. 

Foliage healthy, needs further trial. 

An ironclad berrj', very productive. 

The most profitable of all varieties. 

Requires further trial. 

Very late, fruit soft, a family berry. 

Foliage goodi flavor fine, productive. 

Foliage poor, flavor good, fruit knotty. 

Foliage strong, not productive. 

Good grower, flavor good, early and jjroductive. 

Foliage weak but healthy, productive. 

Vigorous and productive. 

Very productive and desirable. 

Profitable berrj' of medium quality. 

Foliage weak, })roductive, flavor good. 

Vigorous, fruit firm, productive. 

Not productive. 

Very late, foliage good, desirable. 

Weak grower, desirable for family use. 

Poor foliage, not productive. 

Very productive and desirable. 

Flavor good but not in-oduetive. 

Very late, strong grower. 

Resembles the Crescent, not so productive. 

Requires further trial. 

Strong grower but not i>roduetive. 

Vigorous grower, flavor inferior. 

Foliage unhealthy, e.xeellent flavor. 

Strong grower, flavor agreeable. 

Vigorous grower, fruit soft and near the ground. 

Vigorous grower, excellent flavor ; for family use. 

Foliage unhealthy, not desirable. 

Late, strong foliage, fruit borne high, needs trial. 

Foliage unhealthy but productive. 

Weak grower, nut desirable. 

Not desirable. 



REPORT ON GARDEN VEGETABLES. 



29 



REPORT ON GARDEN VEGETABLES. 



TURNIPS. 

Nineteen varieties, or so called vari- 
eties, of the turnip, were sown in 
drills tliree feet apart, the tops ulti- 
mately covering the space between the 
rows. Two seeds were allowed to one 
incli of row, and were thinned after- 
wards to six inches apart for the large 
varieties and to four for the smaller 
kinds. The ground was in the best 
possible condition as regards fertility 
and mechanical condition. 

The turnip is divided into three 
classes : 

One is represented by the strap- leaf 
varieties, which are very rapid grow- 
ers, and are sown either very early in 
the season or very late. They are gen- 
erally delicate in flavor, but deficient 
in nutriment. 

The second, of which the Aberdeen 
and Yellowstone are typical, grow 
larger and keep better than the first. 
They are sown in this locality the last 
week in June. 

The third class is the rutabaga or 
Swede turnip. These are winter va- 
rieties. They need the whole season 
for their complete development, and 
are the most nutritious of turnips. 

Seedsmen have a long list of varie- 
ties, but experienced growers use but a 
few kinds. 

The following are the best of those 
tried: Of early kinds, Munich, Pur- 
ple Top Strap Leaf and Early Flat 
Dutch are the most desirable. The 
White Strap Leaf is but a form of the 
latter. 

Of intermediate kimls the Aber- 
deen, Yellowstone and Montinagny 
are the best. 



The White Norfolk, Cow Horn and 
Red Tankard are excellent for 
stock purposes, but when young are 
good for table use also. 

Among rutabagas the American 
Impioved is the best. The flesh is of 
good quality, solid and tender. 
Laing's Improved is diI!lcul^ to dis- 
tinguish from the above. 

White Swede is a productive variety, 
but becomes •'corkey" quicker than 
the American Improved. 

The turnip and the cabbage have 
been amazingly improved of late 
years. The wide diversities of form 
and adaptibility acquired, with new 
endowments, has greatly extended 
their value, in better fitting them for 
a greater variety of soils and circum- 
stances. Thus we have varieties that 
grow from the surface of the soil and 
others that bury themselves to their 
crowns. Some again grow quickly, 
while others need, in Colorado, near- 
ly the whole season to reach their full 
size, and all the varieties keep in pro- 
portion to the rapidity of their 
growth. The turnip will grow on al- 
most any kind of soil, provided it is 
mellow. The soil, however, must; not 
be too rich, or the tops will be large 
without a corresponding develop- 
ment of root. The black flea troubles 
tiiese varieties some, b it if taken in 
time is readily driven ott". The Aphis 
has an attinity for the Brassica family. 
It was destructive this year to all va- 
rieties with light green foliage. We 
have found liberal applications of 
salt beneficial in giving the plants in- 
creased vigor. 

The data noted during the season 
are arranged in the accompanying ta- 
ble: 



30 



REPORT ON GARDEN VEGETABLES. 



TABIiE NO. 8---TURNIPS. 



Variety. 







■D 


Cfq_ c^' 


S- 


:j" 


o 


-, 




-h> 


s 


ji 


'C 


« 


>-i. 


_ 


s 


a 






ges 
incl 






et 




•f 


3 






=? 






A 






S> 






3 






:ij 






3 






s 









Improved American Purpletop 

Laing's Improved , 

Large Wliite Norfolk 

Cow Horn 

Montmagny 

Purpletop Munica 

White Egg 

Jersey White 

Red Tankard 

Bangholm Rutabaga 

Hartley's Swede 

Yellow Aberdeen 

Redtop Strap Leaf. 

Improved Tetlow 

White Russian 

Early White Strap Leaf 

Early White Flat Dutch 

White Garden Stone 

White Six Weeks 



30 


IG 


12 


36 


20 


13..1 


44 


18 


18 


20 


16 


6 


47 


18 


20..3 


32..6 


17 


13..1 


30..2 


14 


12 


30..4 


14 


11..4 


32..3 


16 


12..1 


26..7 


18 


13..3 


31. .4 


18 


14..4 


48 


20 


21 


26..2 


16 


12 


44..6 


18 


24..7 


40 


20 


19 


1S..2 


12 


6..2 


17 


12 


7..1 


19..4 


13 


7 


16..3 


12 


6..2 



392..40 

471..16 

576 

261..45 

615..15 

425..25 

394...50 

393..5 

422..10 

348 

410..10 

628..20 

342..30 

582...30 

523..35 

237..45 

222..30 

253..50 

212..4 



KEPORT ON GARDEN VEGETABLES. 



31 



BEETS. 

Table No. 9 shows results with the 
beet; twelve varieties were grown on 
well enriched, deeply subsoiied 
ground. 

The seed pieces were sown two 
inches deep, allowing one piece to one 
inch of row ; the rows were three feet 
apart. 

The beet is more at home on alkali 
soils than any other plant we grow ; 
it attains mammoth proportions with 
irrigation — and by having the rows 
far enough apart to insure thorough 
working of the soil it quickly attains 
its growth. 

The really distinct varieties of this 
plant are but few. Bassano is the 



earliest, but its flesh is light-colored 
and hence not attractive ; its flesh is, 
however, tender and well-flavored. 
Egyptian Blood Turnip is a later var- 
iety but of excellent color and quality. 
Dewing's Improved Blood Turnip is a 
a form of the latter and hardly to be 
distinguished from it. Long Smooth 
Red attains a mammoth size, but is 
not salable when the turnip varieties 
varieties are to be had. 

The beet is a gross feeder and hence 
Is at its best only in rich land. That 
it be tender it must be grown quickly 
and not sown too thickly' in the row, 
nor delayed in marketing until it be- 
comes too large and tough. 



TABLE NO. 9— BEETS. 





o 


o 


fD 


CD 


H 


( 

Q 

Variplv. 


< 

re 

Q 


fD 


O 

2 

■D 


cr 
o 
cn_ 

Of? 

re 


B 
S- 

re 

■o 

3 
a. 
c 
o 

-a 

re 
-s 






:3 




re 
re 

o 

N 


a 
re 


Bastian's Blood Turnip '^ 


1 c^ 

1 i 



2 • 


7 1 

1 1 

1 

1 1 


4 

2 

7 


4S..7 
51..2 
3(j..2 
31. .3 


1 036 20 


Eclipse 


%0 14 


Dell's Flower Garden i 


1 040 20 


Henderson's Pineapple 


1,141 


Bassano ] 


9 J 


9 1 


9 


42 6 


1,131.-8 
1 020 7 


Dewing's improved Turnip ' 


' 

8 IC 
IC 

7 

1 ■ S 



1 
2 
2 
4 1 
1 
3 1 


7 
4 
7 
3 
!» 
4 


22..1 

64...5 

67..10 

29..4 

32 

24..1 


Extra Long Dark Red 1 


1 402 10 


Lonsj Dark Blood 


1 321 9 


Dark Red Egyptian "" 


936 14 


Hatch's Blood Turnip 5 


1 041 


Henderson's Dwart Pineapple 5 


902..7 


Simons' Early 2 


8 


1 1 


6 


15..3 


900 







32 



REPORT ON GARDEN VEGETABLES. 



PEAS. 

Our trial list of peas embraced ihir- 
ty-one varieties. One hundred seeds 
of each kind were sown in well en- 
riched soil, two inches deep and three 
inches apart ; the rows were three feet 
apart, to facilitate horse cultivation. 
The varieties! hat produced the first 
edible pods were Cleveland Rural New 
Yorker and Henderson's Improved 
Daniel O'Rourke. McLean's Little 
Gem is nearly as early, dwarf prolific, 
and of excellent quality. There are 
too many round, early varieties, earli- 
ness being their only eonnnendation. 
The following kinds stand about etjual 
in point of earliness, flavor and pro- 
ductiveness : First and Best, Lee's 
Earliest, Hancock, Earliest (»f All, Ex- 
press and Maud S. 

Of the late kinds the most produc- 
tive were Telegraph, Dwarf Champion 
of England, Hairs' Dwarf Mammoth; 
Bliss Abundance, of excellent flavor; 
Commander-in-Chief, quality very in- 
ferior ; Horsford's Garden Pea, of the 
best quality, and Telephone ; Brown's 
Dwarf Marrowfat is an American 
Marrowfat pea of inferior quality, but 
very productive; John Bull is an ad- 
mirable variety, a late, dwarf wrin- 
kled variety, of good flavor ; Early 
Caracticus is identiial with Daniel 
O'Rourke. 



Peas, to be tender, must be grown 
rapidly, and this means that tliey 
must have the best of ground. The 
pea has a tendency to degenerate if 
the best care is not given to tiie selec- 
tion of seed. By a careful selection of 
the earliest pods, and of those that are 
wrinkled most, an excellent strain 
can be secured that, will be sure to 
give satisfaction. Peas do not mix 
readily, so that new varieties can only 
be obtained by artificial crossing. 
Some varieties, as the Extra Early 
Kent and Daniel O'Rourke, have 
many synonyms, the value of which 
depends on the care with which the 
seed was selected. 

The statistics shown In the table as 
to the relative productiveness of the 
different varieties planted would not 
fairly represent them at higher eleva- 
tions, for the reason that all varieties 
of the pea grow and bear fruit the 
whole season, especially if tlie pods 
are picked off regularly. On the 
plains this applies only in cool sum- 
mers; usually this plant behavea here 
as it does at lower elevations. The 
figures under each heading in the ta- 
ble show the average estimate in that 
particular, for the season, and condi 
tions under which each variety was 
grown. Under that of quality we 
have graded the varieties from to 10, 
which means perfect. 



REPORT ON GARDEN VEGETABLES. 



33 



TABLE NO. lO-PEAS. 



Variety. 



Laxton's Supei-Iativo 

Pride of the Market 

Dr. McLean 

Blue luii)erial 

Strate.iiem 

La.\toii'.s Supreme 

Fill Basket, late 

Jnhn Hull 

Miiiiinuiii 

MeLeaii's Little Uein 

Blue Peter.. 

American Wonder 

Telegrapli 

Early Telephone 

Horsford's Garden Pea 

Brown's Dwarf .NLirrowfat 
Dwarf Champion, early.... 
Hair's Dwarf ^Mammotli... , 

Commander in (]hief. 

Bliss Anundance 

McLean's Pre iiier , 

William Hurst 

Maud S 

Lee's Earliest 

Hancock 

Earliest of All 

Dan'l O'Rourke 

Rural New Yorker 

Express 

Caracticus 



July 20 


48 


6 


■ ' -■'•> 


20 


7 


24 


20 


6 


23 


48 


17 


" 29 


IS 


10 


Autr. 1 


4S 


10 


July 23 


24 


9 


27 


3() 


4 


10 


14 


8 


17 


13 


8 


" 5 


10 


8 


25 


36 


12 


20 


36 


/ 


24 


30 


10 


20 


40 


16 


20 


24 


9 


" 20 


24 


6 


20 


(!0 


12 


2;{ 


36 


12 


Awr. <S 


44 


8 


July 14 


12 


6 


(i 


12 


6 


" (! 


12 


7 


" (i 


18 


6 


" (i 


18 


o 


4 


24 


8 


4 


36 


9 


4 


14 





4 


18 


4 



13 
10 V 
ISi 
10 
91 

m 

8i 
11 

n\ 
11 

13 
17 
19i 
14 
14 
161 
141 
10.^ 
131 
9\ 



91 

!) 

91 
lOi^ 
14 

8V 

5V 



8-V 
91 

cS 

73 

8i 

74 

81 

5 

81 

81 
10 
lOi 
12 

8i 

5 

7^ 
12J 
10 

91 
10 

yi 



8 
() 
33 



307 
421 
302 
.341 
305 
279 
298 
378 
300 
349 
388 
410 
530 
520 
400 
402 
400 
404 
604 
600 
411 
347 
175 
206 
210 
220 
264 
206 
204 
200 



76 
56 

74 
80 



76 
(JO 
67 
60 
52 
68 
59 
60 
78 
70 
70 
70 
58 



51 
54 
54 
54 
52 
52 
54 
54 



34 



REPORT ON GARDEN VEGETABLES. 



CABBAGE. 

Two hundred seeds of twenty-seven 
varieties of the cabbage were sown in 
the open ground in hills, allowing 
four seeds to the bill ; the plants were 
tliinned to one when large enough, 
and the thinnings transplanted, for 
comparison. Ttie land was in excel- 
lent condition, as regards fertility, but 
its mechanical texture was too stiff. 
The cabbage loves a rather sandy 
loam, especially with irrigation, as it 
enables one to keep the soil sufflcient- 
h' open around the stems of the plants 
without much hand labor. The es- 
sentials requisite to produce a good 
crop of cabbage are good seed, to be 
procured at almost any cost, a suitable 
soil and thorough cultivation. 

Cabbage, potatoes and some other 
vegetables are much benefitted by 
deep and close cultivation as soon as 
tliey have taken root; iater on tlie 
cultivation must be more shallow, but 
they at all times like to have the soil 
worked up close to the stem. 

Of early cabbages the earliest were 
the Jersey Wakefield, Early Ox Heart, 
Early Wyman, Hugar Loaf, Early 
Etampes. The latter variety has sev- 
eral synonyms. It is very early, but 
the head is soft. Cannon Ball and 
Wheeler's Cocoaimt are not acquisi- 
tions. Tourlaviile, head conical, yel- 
low heart, of no especial merit. Mo- 
hawk Giant was very badly mixed 
with several other varieties. Canajo- 
harie, an early sort, but badly adulter- 
ated with a worthless cauliflower. 

Of second early the best were Early 
Summer, Deep Head, Fottler's Bruns- 
wick, a solid, sure header, and a good 
shipper; Winningstadt, a solid, con- 
ical head; iSchweinfurt forms a very 
large head, l)ul soft; Early Flat 
Dutch, an excellent variety when true 



to type; Fiederkrant resembles the 
Winningstadt cl )sely. 

Of late sorts the most desirable were 
Late Flat Dutch, very large lieads, an 
admirable variety ; Stone Mason, of 
good quality heads of medium size, a 
good variety for family use; Large 
Late Berger needs considerable rooni, 
he ids of large size, witli many outer 
leaves; Marblehead Mammoth, a 
large growing variety, but not a sure 
header; American Drumhead Savoy 
is the product of a cross between the 
Drumhead and the Savoy ; it is the 
best of the Savoy cabbages; the head 
is large, solid and of the best quality; 
Savoy cabbages are in flavor and tex- 
ture mucli like the cauliflower ; the 
leaves are wrinkled, heads solid and 
the quality is much improved by 
freezing. 

The Red Dutch is an extremely 
hardy variety, slow to mature, but an 
excellent ke(;per. 

The value of the diff^erent varieties 
of garden vegetables depends largely 
on the care exercised in selecting only 
the best specimens of each kind to 
grow for seed, for to plant seeds un- 
true to type is always an uni)rofitab!e 
busintss. Every person who raises 
garden crops should each year select 
some of the best formed specimens of 
such kinds as tliey can pnifitably grov.' 
from seed. Vexation in sowing im- 
pure setdcan only be avoided in this 
way. 

The insect enemies of the cabbage 
that are universally troublesome in 
Colnrado are the black flea [Holtioa 
Strigdafa) and the Aphis. The first 
is readily driven ort", if taken in time, 
by an application of dry co il ashes. 
The Aphis is only destructive to laie 
cabbages, and tiien on quite pour land. 



KEPORT ON GARDEN VEGETABLES. 



35 



It is impossible to apply any remedy results. Cabbage should be planted 
that can reach tlie fly, because of the only on land rich eiiousch to keep them 



many hiding places among the leaves. 
We have used salt in liberal quanti- 
ties to plants affected, with the best 



doing their best at all times. 

The following table gives statistics 
in detail ; 



TABLE NO. 11— CABJtSAGE. 



V;irietv. 



Schweinfurtli 100 

Lari^e Earlv York ! 100 

100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 



Tourlaville 

Fi ederk ran t 

Early Driimiieaii 

Wheeler's C'dcoamit 

Seliweiiifurth (^iiiiuai 

Cannon [>all 

Fottler's IJruiiswiek 

Stone Mason 

Large Late Uergen 

Green Glazed 

Marhiehtad JIaniniotli 

Early Ox Heart 

Inijtroved Drumhead .Savoy. 

Red Dnteli 

Early D,'e|.head 

Early Blooinsdale 

Lee's E.xcelsior 

JO.irly VVynian 

Sugar Loaf 

Winninystadt 

Early Flat Dutch 

Mohawk Giant 

(.'auo Joharie 

Henderson's Jvirly Summer. 
Eiirlv Hleiclifield 



(i4 

72 

5r, 

4S 
57 
fil 
7!) 
(iS 
(il 
42 
GO 
42 
71 
SO 
81 
67 
n!) 
(il 
SO 
().") 
()0 
72 
7!) 
61 
62 
82 
85 



89 
90 
78 
SO 
71 
84 
84 
72 
89 
70 
79 
64 
73 
84 
78 
90 
71 
84 
79 
80 
74 
70 
81 
41 
32 
87 
82 



110..4 
22..7 
13.. 2 
16..7 
18..4 
12..1 
72..1 
18..2 
42..7 
39..2 
40..1 



111. .7 
20..1 
18..8 
16..2 
24..1 
65..2 
24.. 2 
18..4 
19..2 
26..7 
44..4 
37..3 
22..4 
45..4 
22 7 



126 
123 
139 
122 
130 
123 
130 
120 
122 
135 
140 



137 
122 
133 
130 
127 
125 
115 
112 
121 
122 
129 
139 
130 
128 
131 



36 



REPORT ON GARDEN VEGETABLES. 



CAULIFLOWER. 

We planted one hundred seeds of 
ten varieties of the Cauliflowor, and 
one variety of Broeoli, in a moderate 
iiotbed April 7th, which were trans- 
planted to highly enriched soil May 
16th. 

The Snowball, Extra Early Erfurt 
Early London were the first to form 
heads. The first mentioned, when 



true to name, is the ideal type of this 
favorite vegetable ; leaves short, and 
with tJje tendency to head up quickly 
very pronounced. Late and large 
growing kinds, as the Hulf Early 
Paris, occupy the ground too long, 
and even then in this climate are un- 
certain about heading. The Purple 
Cape Broeoli is also unwortliy of cul- 
tivatiDU, as it has failed to head for the 
past two seasons. 



TABLE NO. 12— CAULIFLOWER. 



Variety, 



Snowball 

Veitche's Autumn Giant 

Walcheren 

Lenorinand's Short Stem 

Lars^e Late London 

Early London 

Half Early Paris 

Algiers 

Early Erfurt 

Extra Early Erfurt 

Purple Cape Broeoli 



8 


71 


9 


of) 


,s 


.50 


s 


.58 


8 


50 


8 


28 


i) 


30 


9 


41 


7 




9 


52 



20. 
33 
20 
18 
23 
18 
36 
32 
IS 
16 
33 



61 
79 
78 
(iO 
50 
32 
90 
82 
70 
75 
95 



24..7 

36.3 

23..7 

18..4 

33.. 1 

19..4 

42 

28.. 2 

23..5 

19.3 



118 
130 
130 
128 
130 
123 
137 
142 
130 
123 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



37 



ISCELLANEOUS. 



SMUT ON GRASS, 

The smut (ustUago carbo) frequent- 
ly attacks the flower of grasses. 
Whole patches of moist meadows were 
covered with the black effloresceuce of 
this fuugus the past season. 

Of the cultivated grasses tlie tall 
Oat grass [Avhenatheruni avenaceurn) 
was most affected, and next Johnson's 
grass ; of the wild grasses, {Panicum 
crusgalii) so abundant everywhere, 
and {Bi'omas seealinus) were most af- 
fected. 

ERGOT 

Is a fungus that develops upon the 
grain of several members of tiie grass 
family ; all are ssubject to it, both the 
cereals and those of the Mieadow. It 
has long been known to be ve'y de- 
structive on the continent of Europe 
to botii man and beast. The mode of 
growth is ab 'ut as follows: The 
spores (or seeds) become attaclied to 
the flowers or a grass and sierminate, 
the filaments of the fungus penetrat- 
ing the ovary of tlie see<i and convert- 
ing tile interior intoa mass of threads. 
S[)ores are soon formed on tlie sur- 
face of tiie grain for the perpeluutioti 
of the species ; after this the gi-ain in- 
creases to its full size, and in this 
stage such as reach the ground remain 



there till spring, and with favoring 
conditions undergo another change, 
and thus completes its round of life. 

The quantity of ergot on the wild 
pasture the past season was astonish- 
ing. It was most prevalent on Agro- 
2).i/runi glauGum (blue grass) ; moist 
meadows in which this grass occurred 
in any quantity was literally black 
with it. It occurred also in quantity 
on the various forms of the three 
awned grass, on the wild Rye grasses 
and at ail elevations and sparingly on 
Red Top and Timothy. 

The conditions favoring its growth 
are not well understood, but in a gen- 
eral way it has been noted that warm, 
moist conditions exactly suit the de- 
velopment of fungi in general. Ergot 
is observed to be much more abun- 
dant on moist meadows than on high, 
dry land, although we noticed it in 
abundance at an elevation of 9,0(10 
feet, on the Giant Rye grass {Eiymus 
condensatus). 

The quantity of ergot may always 
be lessened by underdraining, which 
siiouid ever accompany irrigation, and 
by cutting the crop early, before the 
er^ot has liad time to develop, for 
wimtever tends to improve the pas- 
ture will soon mitigate the evils of er- 
gotism. 



38 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



SEED TESTS. 

The work of last. year in testing seeds 
was continued the present season. 
The kinds generally tested show a 
higher vegetative percentage than 
those of the previous year. 

Coniuiis!«ion seeds, it is gratifying to 
note, are about driven out of tlie mar- 
liet. The purchase of them at any 
time, by either the amateur or profes- 
sional gardener, was a shortsighted 
economy, because experience every 
year demonstrates that none but such 
as are most carefully grown, and are 
of the liighest quality, prove satisfac- 
tory in tiie end either to the buyer or 
the seller. From experience we know, 
too, tliat some seedsmen are not sufli- 
ciently careful to secure trueness to 
type, and at least comparative free- 



dom from foreign admixtures in the 
seeds sent out by them> The best 
seed in the culture of any crop is in- 
dispensable to success. Good seed 
costs money to grow it, and this fact 
the gardener would do well to recog- 
nize in purchasing, for in this case at 
lea>t, what costs most pays best in the 
end. 

Table 13 shows results in a test of 
seeds ot various ages. These seeds 
were tested last year, and show a loss 
of vitality with increased age. Orchard 
grass is an exception; its ability to veg- 
etate was as good this year as last. 
Some or all of these seeds may l)e old- 
er than that given in the table; they, 
however, have been in our possession 
the length of time opposite each kind 
in the table: 



TABLE NO. 13— TESTS OF SEEDS. 



Variety , 



p> 


^ 


CI5 




tc 


• 










•-b 


2 




S- 


iT> 


^ 




a 




ac! 


1 


cc 






c; 


X 










T- 


r' 



Wh.'ic Kiom. 



Orchard grass 

Spinach 

Tomato, Trophy 

Johnson grat-s 

Blue grass 

Meadow Fescue grass 

Carrot, Daiivers 

Onion, Dan vers 

Turnii), Strap Leaf 

Cabbage, Wakefield 

Corn, Darling's 

Celery, Boston Market 

Cabbage, Mohawk Giant. 

Carrot, ScarJet Horn 

Sweet Vernal grass 

Tomato, Conqueror 

Cabbage, Flat Dutch 

Meadow Fescue grass 



4 


30 


,V) 


50 


."> 


30 


2 


20 


4 


3 


4 


3 


3 


30 


3 


30 


3 


50 


3 


48 


3 


50 


4 


4 


2 


51 


2 


48 


3 


4 


3 


(',:> 


4 


35 


1 o 





Hiram Sibley & Co. 
B. K. Bliss <fc Co. 
D. M. Ferry & Co. 
Henry Lee. 
B. K. Bliss & Co. 
Hiram Sibley & Co. 
B. K. Bliss & Co. 
Peter Henderson & Co. 
De jnirt m e n t of A gri e ii 1 tu re. 
Peter Henderson & Co. 
Peter Henderson & Co. 
J. J. Gregory & (-o. 
Mohawk Valley Seed Co. 
Department of Agriculture. 
B. K. Bliss & Co. 
t). M. Ferry & Co. 
Barteldes & Patch. 
B. K. Bliss & Co. 



Table No. 14 shows results in testing 
seeds for vitality, in tlie greenhouse; 
over two hundred tests were made dur- 
ing the past year. The first column 



shows the iiumber of seeds sown, the 
second the weight of seeds sown, in 
grammes, and the third the percen- 
tage of seeds ves:etated : 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



39 



TABLE NO. 14— SEED TESTS, CONTINUED. 



Variety. 



Where From 



Cnhl.iHrp Rlpikhfiplfl 


187 
300 
300 
300 
300 
300 
300 
300 
300 
300 
300 
300 
300 
200 
200 
200 
200 
200 
200 
200 
300 
300 
3O0 
100 
300 
300 

28:3 

200 
300 
300 
300 
300 
300 
300 
300 
300 
300 
280 
200 
100 
200 
100 


.6882 

.1354 

.4652 

.1055 

1.0568 

.9267 

.5815 

.7710 

.5665 

.5568 

1.0910 

1.1142 

.9564 

.3418 

.9128 

.3356 

1.3115 

.4326 

1.0764 

.1354 

.8611 

.4782 

1.0665 

.3362 

1.0115 

.8184 

.7320 

.6612 

1.0115 

.2765 

.3377 

.4692 

.3067 

.3880 

.4021 

.3654 

.5522 

.5666 

2.5074 

1.1291 

2.5429 

1.2255 


81 
90 
82 
73 
82 
90 
70 
84 
89 
74 
83 
83 
82 
80 
81 
78 
76 
80 
90 
92 
80 
72 
80 
48 
73 
50 
70 
69 
73 
72 
70 
73 
74 
68 
56 
47 
71 
80 
80 
81 
80 
74 


J. J. Gregory. 




" Flat Dutch 


T. H. Davy. 






J. J. Gregory. 
J. J. Gregory. 










D. M. Ferry & Co. 






J. J. Gregory. 

J. J. Gregory. 

Barteldes & Patch. 

Henry Lee. 

D. M. Ferry & Co. 

Peter Henderson & Co. 








" Fiitler's Urunswiek 

Eiii-ly York 




" Jersey Wakefiehl 






Henry Lee. 






Barteldes & Patch. 






Barteldes & Patch. 






Barteldes & Patch. 




" Early Dwarf Flat Dutch 


D. M. Ferry & Co. 




" Sch Weill flirt 


J. J. Gregory. 






J. J. Gregory. 




" Late Flat Dutch 


Peter Henderson & Co. 




" Late Flat Dutch 


Barteldes & Patch. 






Henry Lee. 
J. J. Gregory. 




" Filderkraut 






Barteldes & Patch. 




Early Moliawk 


Nellis & Co. 

D. M. Ferrv & Co. 


( 




Hiram Siblev & Co. 






Peter Henderson & Co. 






Peter Henderson & Co. 


r 




D. M. Ferry & Co. 






Peter Henderson & Co. 






Henrv Lee. 






Barteldes & Patch. 


I 




Henry Lee. 






Barteldes & Patch. 


1 


Holhvw Crown 

iiriii]), Wliitc Straji Leaf. 


D. M. Ferry & Co. 
Department of .Agriculture. 
Department of Agriculture. 
Colo. Agricultural College. 




Cow lloni 


Rppf Rolinsp 


J. J. Gregory. 




" Yellow Glohe 


Barteldes & Patch. 






Colo. Agri'-nltural College. 




" Egyptian 


Peter Henderson & Co. 



40 



MISCELLANEOUS. 




020 



TABLE NO. 14— SEED TESTS, CONTINUED. 



Variety. 



Where From 



Beet, Yellow Globe 

" Long Red 

" Prize Mangle 

" Eclipse 

" Bastians 

" Long Red Mangle 

Seakale, Seek man's 

Tomato, Mayflower 

" Favorite 

" Favorite 

" Mayflower 

" Essex Hybrid 

" Trophy." 

'■ Round Red 8mooth. 

" Paragon 

" Gem 

Grass, Sweet Vernal 

" Meadow Fescue 

" Timothv 

" Tall Oa't 

" Tall Oat 

" Tall Oat 

" Italian Rye 

" Johnson 

" Johnson 

■' Johnson 

Alsike 

Alsike 

Common Millet 

Red Clover 

Large Pi.ed Clover 

Alfalfa 

" Utah seed 

" Colorado grown 

" Colorado grown 

" California grown 

" Utah sfrown 



200 


1.1624 


72 


100 


4.5752 


70 


100 


1.1271 


71 


200 


2.5074 


70 


300 


4.3353 


83 


200 


4.3383 


73 


100 


.3362 


68 


300 


.9110 


81 


300 


.7264 


80 


300 


.7267 


90 


300 


.7360 


70 


300 


.7818 


77 


300 


.1786 


64 


300 


.6334 


90 


300 


.5586 


79 


300 


.7990 


90 


300 


.1896 


53 


300 


.5323 


74 


300 


.1145 


87 


300 


.2832 


90 


300 


.9555 


81 


300 


.9855 


70 


300 


.4955 


81 


300 


.1335 


52 


300 


1.1355 


54 


300 


1.0029 


48 


300 


.1422 


56 


30ii 


.1740 


72 


300 


.5468 


84 


300 


.4585 


75 


300 


.8531 


80 


300 


.6569 


91 


300 


.6251 


85 


300 


.5781 


90 


30 


.6118 


84 


300 


.6703 


80 


300 


.6528 


82 



Henry Lee. 

Peter Henderson & Co. 
J. J. Gregory. 
Peter Henderson & Co. 
Hiram Sibley &Co. 
Hiram Siblev & Co. 
Barteldes & Patch. 
Peter Henderson & Co. 
Barteldes & Patch. 
Peter Henderson & Co. 
D. M. Ferry & Co. 
Barteldes & Patch. 
Peter Henderson & Co. 
J. J. Gregory. 
D. iM. Ferry"& Co. 
J.J. Gregory. 
Barteldes &'Patch. 
Hiram Sililey. 
Hiram Sibley. 
Hiram Sibley. 
Hiram Sibley. 
Hiram Sibley & Co. 
Barteldes & Patch. 
Hiram Sibley. 
Henry Lee. 
Barteldes & Patch. 
Heiirv Lee. 
Hiram Sibley & Co. 
Barteldes oi Patcii. 
Barteldes & Patch. 
D. M. Ferry. 
Barteldes & Patch. 
T. H. Daw. 
T. 11. Daw. 
Bartelde- & Patch. 
Henry Lee. 
Henrv Lee. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



020 948 469 9 



